Home
by sable1456
Summary: Since events of Sign of the Past there passed five years. The former Cuarto Vengantimo, Sable, has settled down in Warfang and continues to live blisfull life in his save heaven. But then, an old friend brings a message. Message that leads him to an escapade to what he used to call home.
1. Prologue

Prologue "Within the darkness"

A little, just three months old hatchling woke up. It was the middle of night, the room was very dark. The dragoness stood up silently and gently jumped down the bed landing on a pillow laying in there. In gentle moonlight lighting the room through big window, it could be recognized that the most of her body's scales were white, there could be seen lines of other, darker color on her right arm, unrecognizable in such a darkness. Whole her chest was covered in bandages. She walked slowly leaving the room and heading to the stairs. She would slip on some small bottle and fall down the stairs, but she avoided the glass. She couldn't see it hidden in shadows and yet, she knew where not to step. Because she had a presentiment not to do that, even if she didn't know this word yet. She would never do anything bad to herself like falling down the stairs, oppositely to other hatchlings. Because she involuntarily felt what should she avoid. A hatchling stopped and let some about twenty years old fire dragon pass by her without noticing her. He entered the room where was sitting another fire breather, much older one: her grandpa. He was making some compresses.

"Dear ancestors, Ignifier, you're still doing those?" The younger dragon noticed.

"Chris, why you've come?"The old one asked. His voice sounded weary, tired.

"I wanted to see what are you doing in the middle of night." Chris sighed deeply. "You know that it's pointless. Idris will die anyway." He said as if he had been already tired with repeating this same thing.

"It's not. You may be the medic, but you can't know for sure. I can't let my granddaughter die." Ignifier refused.

"Don't treat it as a dragon. No wing, no element… it's just an overgrown, ill lizard." The medic stated coldly.

"Don't you dare calling her like that!" Ignifier scolded young dragon. "She has the very right to live as you and I! You can't know if her lungs won't heal!" He opposed.

"It…" The medic sighed deeply. "Ignifier, it has practically no lungs. It's not about healing, it has to practically grow those, which should have happened in the egg! I've personally analyzed its lungs, they're so thin and underdeveloped that it's a miracle that it's still alive! You know that all that it needs to cough up blood is to have a nightmare or someone shout at it and every such happening is only enclosing it to death!" Chris sighed deeply. "And don't forget that we can't help it with magic."

"I still don't understand why, to be honest." Ignifier confessed.

"It has extraneous magic sensitivity syndrome. It sometimes happens to powerful magicians, very rarely to normal dragons, practically never to hatchlings: their body refuses any other healing magic except their own. Any try of using magic on Idris will only damage its body even more."

"That's why I'm trying to help her with elixirs." The old fire breather noticed.

"Ignifier, those elixirs are supposed to support therapy, not be it!" Chris watched him carefully. "I know that it's your granddaughter, the only memorial after Lisanna, but stop it. Stop saving it. Every bleeding in its lungs hurts more and more. If it doesn't miraculously appear to all of sudden possess magical potential ten times bigger than me, then it'll die painful death sooner or later."

"Grandpa?" The hatchling decided to walk to Ignifier interrupting the conversation she heard so often , but still couldn't understand.

"Aren't you sleeping, Idris?" The old fire breather asked with surprise. "Come here, we'll change your bandages." He took the dragoness on the table and started gently taking the bandage off.

"How is it, grandpa?" She asked curiously.

"Good, sweetheart. Soon, there will be no need for you to wear those."Ignifier assured smiling slightly. Chris just sighed deeply. He stood up and left without saying a word.

Far away from any dragon villages, at the north, there had always been endless forests, extending for hundreds kilometers. Wyverns claimed themselves right to those grounds, but in fact, not many lived in there. In not really deep cave, there was a small fireplace, the only shiny point in the sea of dark trees. There were sitting two dragons. One of them was a female, just fifteen years old, maybe even younger. Her friend was much bigger than her, he seemed to be at least ten years older. The earth dragon was cuddling the youngster warmly. It was winter and nights were very cold. The young dragoness was shaking from cold.

"Thanks ancestors you found me, Hunter." She whispered, as she bit fried meat. She swallowed quickly. "If not you, I'd have frozen to death."

"You finally admitted that, Storm." The earth dragon noticed, smiling. "It took you whole two weeks, am I wrong?"

"Something like that."She agreed. "I like being self-sufficient." The dragoness explained herself. "But it's hard not to agree with that when you found me lying unconscious in pile of snow in the middle of night. How did you even notice me, by the way?" She watched him curiously.

"Your tail. In darkness, I was sure it was branch, so I wanted to use it to make a bonfire. And then, I found you." He explained, smiling slightly. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Frostbites are almost gone." The black dragoness watched her left arm carefully. There still were marks, but nothing big. "You're really good medic, you know?" Storm noticed.

"I have practice." The dragon called Hunter explained. "Have you heard of Vengantimos? Their leader, Douten, he was really gifted." He changed subject.

"What was he like?" The black dragoness asked curiously.

"I didn't know him personally. But he was most likely the best alchemist in the world. He could turn wyverns into dragons, even give them power of elements. From what I heard, Vengantimos were crushed near the eastern city, about three months ago."

"Is anyone of them alive?"The black dragoness asked with childish curiosity. It seemed to be quite important to her.

"Two of them, both of them helped dragons in time of the final battle. A young black dragoness, Vixen, and Sable, Cuarto Vengantimo."

"Former Vengantimo, isn't he?" Storm corrected.

"True." The earth dragon agreed.

"Do you know what happened to them?" The black dragoness asked.

"From what I heard, Sable left together with his mate. They're expected in Warfang."

"And Vixen?" Storm watched her friend curiously.

"No one really knows. She had disappeared into thin air." Hunter said, at least that's the rumor. The black dragoness sighed sadly. "Why do you ask?" The earth dragon asked and covered his little friend with his wing a little stronger.

"Personal reasons." The black dragoness explained tersely. "I'm looking for her."

"So this is what you seek for in this forgotten by ancestors place?" The earth dragon noticed.

"Yes, I seek to find her for quite a long time already. I want to know who she really is."

"What's the reason? Who is she for you?" The dragon asked curiously.

"She's... family."

"A sister?" Hunter guessed.

"I think it's the best word, but it's rather long story." The black dragoness watched her friend meaningfully. Hunter understood suggestion.

"Fine, I won't ask." Hunter agreed her silent request. Then, he looked out the cave. "It's already morning." He noticed.

"Is it?" Young dragoness asked with disbelief. She leaned to see the first sunrays falling into the cave. "Oh." She said, completely lacking any enthusiasm.

"What's wrong?" Hunter watched her curiously.

"I've got to go." The black dragoness said. "I've already spent too much time here." She released herself gently from older dragon's cuddle and stood up. "Frostbites are gone, aren't those?" She asked.

"Yes, they are. But you shouldn't travel alone, Storm. Those are dangerous lands, especially for dragons. Especially for young ones who don't know it." Hunter warned.

"I know those lands. And I really have to go." Storm hung her head sadly. Then, she cuddled the earth dragon. "I'm grateful for all that you've done for me. I really enjoyed the time we spent together and I wish we could remain here for a little longer. But both of us have to go. Your targets are moving on the east. Mine is on northern west. It is time to part, Hunter." The black dragoness explained.

"True." The earth dragon agreed reluctantly. "Goodbye, Storm." He whispered.

"Goodbye, Hunter." The black dragoness parted with him, wiping out tear, which appeared in corner of her eye. Two dragons stood up and walked out the cave. They stood at cold snow and watched the trees before them. "Will we ever meet?" Storm asked hopefully.

"After we're done here, we will. I hope so." Hunter agreed.

"This Cuarto... Sable. The one you've mentioned. He's expected in Warfang, isn't he?" The young dragoness watched her friend carefully. The earth dragon just bobbed his head. "Let's meet there." She pleased.

"So we meet there." Hunter decided. "I'll come there within three months. I promise."

"I'll be there even earlier." The young black dragoness smiled slightly and giggled childishly. "I promise." Dragons hugged friendly once more and they were about to part.

"Hey, Storm!" Hunter called her.

"What is it?" The black dragoness watched him curiously. Then, she caught flint, which he threw to her.

"Keep this, you'll need this in that blood-freezing blizzard!" The earth dragon explained. The little dragoness smiled slightly and thanked him. Then, they left, each of them flew in their own direction.

There passed two weeks. At least ten, maybe even twenty shady, fuzzy outlines of mysterious creatures were sitting around small fireplace. At the foot of hill, they were hidden from snow thanks to several poles and roof on it. It looked like it was built several dozen years earlier, especially for travelers like them. Before them, there was not really high grassy hill, whole the place surrounded by trees. Then, someone appeared at the top of hill. Everyone sitting around the bonfire watched the newcomer curiously. Full moon at the cloudless sky lit the earth dragon standing in shallow snow.

"What's your name?" The leader of group watched the newcomer carefully.

"I don't have just one name." The dragon replied. "For you, I am Hunter."

"What are you doing here, young Hunter?" Old voice asked scornfully. "Alone, far away from any allies, at the mercy of ours."

"I've waited for this moment too long. And at last, we meet. I've come here to kill you." Hunter declared. "You call yourselves rebel, fighters for freedom of your kind, dominated by dragons. Bullshit." The earth dragon snorted with contempt. "You don't fight. You ambush. You kill innocents for your own, sick satisfaction. Scared to face real soldiers, you stab dragons in their backs." Then, as if to confirm his own words, Hunter jumped at the side avoiding swing of enemy's deadly paw from behind. The earth dragon hit attacker's legs with tail making him lose balance. Before he even managed to fall, Hunter slit his throat with surgical precision. The wound seemed to be shallow, but in fact, it was deadly. Dead body was thrown away and rolled down the hill, disappearing in shadows of dark forest extending on dragon's side.

"Pathetic. Can't you just leave? Find the place where you could live peacefully?" Hunter asked. "All you cause is sorrow."

"Sorrow of yours. Joy of ours." The leader smiled insolently. He was already old, seasoned in combat. "Good dragon is dead dragon. I enjoy every single one we kill." He riposted.

"And now, one will take joy of killing all of you." The earth dragon said. His green eyes were glowing with madness. Moon behind his back couldn't light his face. Because of this shadow covering his face, enlightened only by weak light of bonfire, dragon's enemies could see only ominous grin and green eyes glowing with fury. "This is where it really ends."

"For you." The leader of group stood up. He was fighter for freedom, for his kind. He couldn't fall. "Run, dragon, save your life. Maybe we won't run after you." The leader of group offered.

"Cowards die hundreds times before their death. The courageous die only once. And I..." Then, dragon laughed in sinister way, which could scare even the bravest of his enemies. "I've already died, killed with the paw of your minion." His voice was dark, mysterious.

"As for me, you're still alive. But I'll correct this mistake." The leader of group stood up, gave his men sign to do this same.

"You will try. Come on. Show me what you've got!" The dragon made offensive pose. Group of twenty attackers ran to the top of hill. The fight began. Just five minutes later, it was already done. Groan of pain stopped, the forest fell as silent as it had been earlier. Only sign of those happenings remained at the snow, darkly, intensively red from the blood.

This same night, the young black dragoness was already hundreds kilometers from her friend, alone in dark forest. She was sleeping in some cave, when she felt that someone was coming. She didn't hear his presence, didn't see or smell him, she just had some terrible feeling that she was being watched. Storm stood up. She stretched up for several seconds and yawned deeply. Then, she left the cave. Outside, she was welcomed by a cold wind. She shivered a little. She looked around impatiently. She would prefer to simply go back sleeping, but she realized that price for recklessness could be even her life. The black dragoness looked for any sign of unwanted presence. She walked between trees, watching both snow and trees where could be left traces. Then, she heard movement in trees about ten meters behind her. If she hadn't grown up in forest, she'd most likely think it was just wind. But she knew such places too well. She quickly turned around and watched carefully the source of sound.

"Show yourself!" She demanded. Only reply she heard was howl of cold wind. Storm started shaking from cold. Or maybe was that fear? No. There was nothing to be scared about. It was just that damn snow. "Show yourself! I will do no harm to you!" Again, no one replied. Young dragoness sighed with annoyance and impatience. Then, she heard sinister laugh. There was someone.

"A dragon?" The newcomer asked with disbelief. "What are you doing here?" He asked. Storm cursed silently. She recognized the accent. She knew what race he was. And it couldn't mean anything good for her.

"My name is Storm. I don't want to fight." Young dragoness started. "I'm lost." She lied easily. "Just let me come back from where I came." She pleased already knowing that she was in trouble.

"Call me Principe." He said demandingly. "You know who does this territory belong to, don't you?" The male voice was very strict and confident. It belonged to someone powerful and influential. Someone who wouldn't be in such a place all alone.

"Now I know. My apologize." The young, proud dragoness bowed, even if it wounded her pride. She realized that the mysterious newcomer was a noble of his kind, so if she wanted to leave peacefully, she had to show him respect. "Principe, all I ask for is your allowance for me to leave." Storm didn't raise her head. Though her blood was boiling, she behaved submissively.

"I'll give you none." Principe decided. "Stand back, she's mine." He said to his minions, but before he finished his sentence, the black dragoness had already taken flight. She was flying through the forest, right between even the narrowest spaces. She was really small, but still, it wasn't easy. Her direction was south. Warfang. Dragons. Hunter. She could hear enemy behind herself. He was breathing really loudly. She grinned and started singing loudly.

"Follow the Storm, now I've got to get out from here!

Follow the Storm, as you take to the sky!" She laughed joyfully hearing Principe's angry hiss. She was much faster, she could easily escape. And, just to annoy noble, she continued singing.

"Follow the Storm, now it's all so crystal clear!

Follow the Storm, as the Storm... Begins to rise!" Then, her eyes grew wide as she saw Principe only several meters from her. The dragoness rapidly turned, but her enemy appeared to be as fast as her, maybe even faster. Storm took deep breath, about to release her element. Then, she felt electrifying pain in her chest. She rapidly lost ability to move and, completely paralyzed, hit ground, rolled, and stopped painfully at tree, leaning against it. She didn't understand what had just happened. Then, she saw gold glow in Principe's paw who was standing just three meters from her.

"L...lightning?" Storm asked with disbelief. Then, she felt overwhelming pain of thousands volts penetrating her body. The young dragoness didn't scream, but only groaned silently as he stopped hurting her. She lost balance and fell on her side. Then, a purple sword, which appeared in Principe's second paw from nowhere pierced through bone of her wing, breaking it painfully. Storm didn't even try to stop her tears, which started falling down her face, but she released no sound. And then, she swung her hinder leg trying to make him collapse. But Principe stepped on it. He took the second purple sword and stuck it in her thigh. The blade went through flesh and bone with no problem.

"Cry." Principe demanded. Then, very slowly, he started spinning his blades. Young dragoness screamed in agony, hoping that someone would hear her and yet, knowing that it simply couldn't happen. In that moment, noble dropped swords and caught her face, so all Storm could see was his paw. The blood started soaking from her cheeks where Principe stuck his talons. Then, young dragoness saw weak light, which started getting bigger and bigger. She heard disturbing noise of electricity. And then, she felt as if her eyes burnt, she wished she could at least scream, but voice stuck in her throat. A second later, she could see nothing. Only infinite darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1. "New, happy life"

Two wyverns were watching a small dragoness running through the bushes with bewildering speed, just several meters from them. The younger of them watched at his brother sadly.

"Oscuro, do we really need their help?" He asked.

"Yes. That's the only way, Clavius." Oscuro sighed with annoyance, seeing that he had to explain it to his younger brother. "You have to understand that it's our only hope now."

"But why did we release her?" Clavius asked with disappointment. "I'll miss her." Oscuro watched him surprised. It sounded, like that dragoness was someone precious to him, not just a... "We should have sent someone else." Clavius continued complaining. Oscuro had enough of it already.

"Send who?" He asked, almost shouting. "After those Vengantimos..." The wyvern hissed this word. "...dragons completely don't trust us. Especially when the most of Vengantimos were from the northern tribes. And she'll gain their trust."

"I hate this uncertainty." Clavius also was in bad mood. "Do you think that she'll actually come back with help?"

"They will. Dragons are tired. Tired with all those wars, Malefor and Vengantimos. All they need now, is peace. If they see opportunity for an alliance with us, they will agree."

"You know, you're really good about whole that policy." Clavius admitted. "Why won't father choose you as Señor de la Tribu?" He asked.

"Because Cobro is the oldest of our three. And after whole this situation with uncle Sueño, our father will surely choose the oldest of his sons."

"So dragons will come here soon." Clavius stated.

"Yes. It's a long distance, so give them a month or two and they'll be here." Oscuro was completely sure about his words. Clavius yawned deeply, straightened wings and started walking into the forest. "And where are you going?" His older brother asked with surprise.

"For hunting. I may be absent for… a month." He answered without turning at Oscuro. "After such a loss I need some abreaction." Oscuro watched his brother and shook his head with disbelief. Clavius would never cease to both scare and surprise him.

Three weeks later

It was a middle of night, far away at north from any dragon city. In deep to their knees water were staying two wyverns, the third one, about five years old female was watching them with fear, hidden in bushes. Neither of young wyverns cared about rain, stream or thunder. All, that mattered, was enemy.

"Sable!" Young female shriek echoed through the air. Though loud noise of waterfall right behind him, he heard her clearly.

"Run, Sonrisa!" He shouted, mad at her that she still was there.

"But..." She tried to argue.

"Run!" Sable shouted. Youngster watched him, scared. Her brother had never shouted at her. Sonrisa nodded and disappeared in forest. Sable turned, to see him. The wyvern, who he hated at most. The one, who he blamed for death of whole his family. Cobro.

"Let's finish this!" Sable shouted. He took both his blades and started charging madly at second wyvern. He howled madly. Second wyvern smiled, took his swords and started running to him as well. They glared in each other's eyes, to see bloodthirsty sight. Both of them waited for that duel for years, since ever they sought each other's death. They howled madly at each other and swung their swords. Slash. Noise of breaking steel. Darkness.

Sable woke up, as he fell from his bed. He heard Viola mumbling something dreamily as chill air touched her, uncovered now, side. Sable wiped out sweat from forehead, his heart was beating like mad. "It was just nightmare..." He said silently to himself. "It hasn't ha..." He cursed himself in mind. "Of course, it has happened." He said with regrets and anger at himself. Even, if he was a dragon already, he still couldn't forget about his past. About being a wyvern.

"Sable?" Soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "What's wrong?" Viola asked curiously with sleepy voice.

"Nothing, I'm fine." He lied. He wasn't in mood to speak about his nightmare.

"So, why did you wake up in the middle of night?" Viola asked. Her mate sighed deeply. She hit a point. "Come on, you can tell me." She said, in this same way, as her father used to speak to her.

"You know, sometimes I feel as of this all was just one great dream." Sable decided to speak about something else. He didn't want to bother her with his past. "It's so marvelous, so unbelievable that I'm actually here, that sometimes I doubt, if it's real. Like someday I was going to wake up back in Venganza's camp and..." Then Viola pinched him. "Ouch!" The ice dragoness smiled.

"No, I think you're not sleeping." She noticed. Both of them laughed silently. "Let's go back sleeping, you shouldn't bother yourself with tings like this in the middle of night." Sable nodded. He lied next to his mate, nuzzled her and they both of them tried to fall asleep. The ice dragoness was sleeping after just several seconds, but Sable remained lost in his thoughts, this time, completely different. His new life was indeed, like dream. Since Venganza's attack had passed almost six years. Two days earlier there were exactly five years from his family's setting down in Warfang, there was held a great party to the middle of night. Just six years and yet, it felt as if that was whole eternity. He was already thirty one and Arriate and Ñeque were five. He had loving mate and lots of friends. He was a dragon, member of the great society- Warfang. Could he dream about anything else?

"Arriate! Ñeque! Wake up!" Male voice could be heard across the house. A young lightning dragoness cracked her eye just to close it immediately, blinded by sun shining right at her. Her brother didn't bother himself with even this, he most likely didn't wake up. Arriate tried to sleep again, when saw her dad right above her.

"Give me five minutes, dad." She muttered, half-sleeping and hoping that he would give up that easy. Sable sighed deeply. Waking them up so early always was a great challenge. Because of that, they were late to Academy already three times in row already. But this time, Sable was going to test new argument, something that the lightning guardian had suggested him.

"If you'll sleep any longer, you'll be late to academy and as I heard, Master Stella doesn't like, when her students are..." He interrupted, because the lightning dragoness was already gone, her tail was disappearing behind the corner. He was wondering, how did she do this that fast, when heard scared squeak and sound of falling down from stairs, several second later reached him worried Viola's voice. He went to stairs and sighed with relief, as saw that Arriate was fine, her mother already took care of her. One was already up, another one still sleeping. Sable went to Ñeque and poked him.

"Ñeque, wake up." The ice dragon mumbled something and continued sleeping. Sable smiled and turned around. He started walking to stairs. "Fine then, sleep well." Youngster barely didn't open eyes from surprice. He didn't expect his father to give up just like that. "But you'd better start looking for good excuse for Master Stella..." Ñeque sighed deeply and stood up. He followed his father with such lack of zeal, like it wasn't a breakfast, but execution. Sable smiled with pity seeing that and started wondering, what Stella had told them. He had to ask her at some opportunity. All the family sat to table and started eating. Surprisingly to their parents, both youngsters finished eating in five minutes and in another five were ready to leave. Viola nuzzled both youngsters and kissed Sable, as they were about to leave.

"Bye, Sable."

"Bye." He bowed slightly and left with youngsters. Sable watched the sky. They still had quite lot of time, but both Arriate and Ñeque were in hurry like never before. Their father had to literally hold them to don't let them run to academy.

"Are we late, dad?" Ñeque asked with worries, as they went to academy.

"No, we're even too early." He said. "Good luck." He nuzzled them for goodbye and watched them disappearing in crowd of young dragons. He sighed deeply. In moments like this he really regretted that he couldn't be dragon since his birth. So many years in this academy...there surely was a lot of fun. He was about to leave, when he heard familiar voice.

"Hi Sable!" Stella appeared from a crowd right in front of him.

"Hi Stella. Or should I call you guardian, or Master?" He asked, grinning. Stella hated, when he called her like that.

"If you'll start learning in academy, you can call me Master. And seeing your breath attack, you'd really need it." She added with smile.

"Don't forget about my paws." He reminded her.

"Don't forget, who won our last duel." She riposted. "So, you've actually brought them both on time?" Stella asked with disbelief. "Or you're here to inform that today, you won't manage to wake them up?"

"This time, they aren't late." Sable said proudly. "As I mentioned your name, they were in so big hurry that Arriate fell down the stairs."

"Ouch. I hope, that's nothing serious?" The lightning dragoness sounded concerned.

"No, that's nothing. By the way, what did you tell them?" Sable asked curiously.

"Well, I think I can't reveal. You know, some things it's better not to know." Stella grinned mysteriously.

"Indeed. Now I can scare them with you to wake them up immediately." They both laughed. "You're going for a lesson?" Sable asked.

"Yes, in ten minutes starts a first one. And you're going to hospital?" The guardian guessed.

"Not yet. Today my duty stars at the midday."

"So you're going to Tris." Stella guessed.

"Yes." Sable replied shortly.

"Viola doesn't like those meetings." The lightning guardian noticed skeptically.

"She doesn't' like Tris." Sable specified. "But she's getting along with her. Somehow. Only because I owe her pretty much. If not her…" Sable sighed deeply. "You know, I better hurry up, if for once I want to be on time." He bowed slightly. "See you."

"See you." Two dragons walked away, each of them in his own side.

Sable flew quickly to his home. Out of this hurry he had completely forgotten to take his katanas. Then, with both swords on his back, he left the city. He flew at the field where Tris was waiting for him. Before coming to Warfang, Sable saw her only once when she was brought at the battlefield by Vixen. After he came to the city, he started working in the hospital, where he was in a medical team with her and two other dragons. Sable owed her a lot with no doubts. At first, other dragons treated him like outsider, even feared him because of his past. Tris was exception to that rule and thanks to her honest sympathy, after some time other dragons also started finding him as friend and equal. Now he felt as if he had lived in this city since ever. One day, Tris asked him to train her fighting. At first, Sable refused, he wasn't going to use his swords anymore, but the young dragoness was too determinate to give up. After long time of her earnest begging, he agreed and they started training. From that moment passed already five years. Tris wasn't just defenseless youngster anymore. Well, she wouldn't be an equal opponent for Espejo, but for Fuerzo or maybe even Atroz? Who knows? Sable landed at the field and looked around. He noticed a young dragoness swimming in the river. Tris watched him surprised and quickly swam to the shore. She came out all wet, but it was middle of summer and sun was shining really intensively, so she was going to dry up in several minutes.

"You've already come." She noticed, with not hidden surprise. "I thought you'd be late. Like always." There was nothing malignant, she just stated facts. The lightning dragon just shrugged.

"Are you ready?" Sable asked her.

"Give me a minute." She started breathing all around her body with a hot air to dry herself. After a minute, she finished. "Done." She smiled with excitement, already making offensive stance. She loved trainings.

"So, let's start. No worries, I'll give you a head start, like always." He turned around to her with his back and started waiting for her attack. Tris grinned angrily. She hated him doing that.

"So cocky." She said. "The question is, for how long?" She shot at him a fireball, but the lightning dragon made a step on his side. Tris was already right behind him, about to slash, when one of katanas evaporated from his sheet to materialize in mysterious way in his paw and block her talons. She could never keep up with this movement. The second sword also was in his paw already, trying to sting her shoulder. She jumped back and leaned down right under wave of electricity. The dragon appeared in front of her and tried to slash, but Tris jumped above him and started flying. Sable avoided stream of fire and heard her voice.

"Come in the air!" The youngster shouted.

"As you wish." As much more experienced flier, Sable had an advantage in air. He was quite surprised that she wanted an aerial battle, but who was he to deny her will? They were fighting in the air for about one and half hour already, and made two or free quite long pauses for rest. They'd just started another round, when Sable noticed that someone was coming.

"How's your training, Sable?" An earth dragon asked him from beneath. The lightning dragon hid one of blades and started blocking all Tris's attack with one of them, not even watching her.

"Not bad." Sable said. "Your girl is getting even better, Dante."

"Are you sure, you can fight her like that?" The earth dragon asked with disbelief. "Pride killed more warriors than blades, you know?"

"No worries, she has never won." Sable said confidently, as Tris hissed angrily. Dante sighed deeply.

"And do you know the dictum: still waters..." Sable's katana flew in air, thrown away with Tris's precise blow. Sable felt her talons at his neck. Dante grinned. "...run deep." Tris grinned, as she acknowledged, what had just happened.

"I won!" She shouted, proud of herself. She landed at ground and hugged Dante. She gave him passionate kiss. "I won, sweaty!" She was really happy because of that.

"Tris, I have something for you." The earth dragon said to her. She watched him surprised, when he gave her bouquet of roses, hidden under wing earlier. Those were her favorite flowers. She took it and enclosed to her nose, taking a deep breath, enjoying gorgeous aroma. Then, behind them landed Sable, he was watching the couple with slight smile, blushing slightly because of his loss. Dante turned to glance at the lightning dragon.

"Pride. So splendid, but improperly directed so disastrous..." He whispered. Sable sighed deeply. That was surely another quote of that poet, from book, which he would never read. He hated that quotes, but he had to live with that. After all, he really liked Dante, who additionally was Tris's mate. He had to admit that as for seventeen-year-old dragon, he was pretty matured and uncommonly educated.

"Whose words are that?" Sable asked.

"Mine. This time it wasn't quote. Why do you hate poetry so much, by the way?" The earth dragon asked curiously.

"No idea. I've never liked it. I prefer other arts, such as music." It was truth. Sable never really liked books, though he could read fast, he did it only when it was necessary.

"So, shall we continue?" Tris asked with pleasing sight. "Maybe I'll win once more?" She got really excited when thinking about that.

"No, go to your home, enjoy your victory. In three days, I'm going to bring you back to the ground." He smiled devilishly, bided couple goodbye and started flying away to home. He smiled to himself. His own home with loving mate and children waiting there. New, happy life. What more did he need?


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. "Friends and family"

"She actually won." Sable said to himself with disbelief, while flying above the city. He still was surprised that Tris appeared to be a victor of their duel. "I hope that Stella doesn't hear about that. And I better start fighting Tris seriously." He decided. Tris could think that she was good, but she hadn't seen, how good he was. Their next training he planned to be very disappointing for young fire dragoness. Sable landed in front of his house and came in. "Viola, I'm back." He said loudly enough. Theice dragoness walked down stairs to him.

"You're earlier." She noticed, obviously glad because of it. "So, how much time do you have before going to the hospital?" She asked, knowing that he'd start his duty soon.

"Just an hour and I'm going to hospital." This news didn't disappoint her. Oppositely.

"You should take a sleep for this hour." She suggested and nuzzled him lovingly.

"I'm not sleepy at all." Sable refused. Two of them headed upstairs and sat at the balcony; their favorite place to spend time together. Lovers hugged each other warmly, Sable's wings spread around her gently, the dragoness leaned her head against his shoulder. She muttered something in pleasure.

"So, let us stay here, for a moment." She suggested. The lightning dragon nodded slightly. He loved sitting with her like that, all alone, talking silently.

"Just remember to remind me when an hour already passes." Sable pleased. He didn't want to be late to the hospital. Again.

"I will." Viola lied. And he knew that she did. But he simply didn't care. When it came to her, his heart had such an easiness to ignore the voice of reason that it was at least disturbing to him.

The hospital in Warfang was a beautiful place. The main corridor had height of about twenty meters, at its sides were stairs at higher levels, everything made or clearly white marble. Sable heard once that this building was really lovely at the midday, thanks for the sunlight, which was filtering through soft glass windows of impressive size. He heard that it was good to stop for a while and enjoy that moment, because there weren't many such beautiful places in Warfang. Sable never had an opportunity to verify that theory. The reason was trivial. He never had time to do that. Neither today.

"I said, one hour!" Sable whispered, mad at himself. "One hour!" He was running through hospital's corridor. He hated being late, but he never could be on time. Then, he jumped in the air and landed at the second floor. He opened a door to a big room. All medics from his medical team were already waiting. The first one he had noticed was Tris, staying at the left. At the right was, there Crag, the earth dragon. He was a bit older than Sable, but no one knew his exact age. He was very talented medic, much more than Tris or Sable. His past was unknown. All, they knew about him was that he, broken-hearted, came to Warfang, searching for new life. He was the dark green dragon with rugged, clubbed tail. He had two thick, yellow, or, as he'd say, gold horns and this same color of eyes. His horns were characteristically curved in half, at first going almost perpendicularly to the ground, then, perfectly parallel to it. They were also branching off a little.

In the middle, there was staying she. The captain of their team and director of whole hospital. The dragoness called sometimes "demon of magic" when she wasn't around since every magic-sensing type, which were some of medics, would get heart palpitations just standing in this same room as hers, if they forgot to muffle this energy. And her name was Ivory.

"You're late, Sable." The white dragoness stated. "Like always." She added with a little annoyed voice.

"It's hard to refuse that." Sable agreed with apologizing voice, completely embarrassed. Their relationship hadn't started well. In fact, it did horribly. When about five years earlier Sable and Viola came to Ivory with just hatched Arriate and Ñeque for a control of their state, Sable asked her, if could he work there. She saw no problem about that until the moment, when she asked, how long had taken him to finish mutation. Sable replied honestly that two months and then he understood his mistake.

Ivory quickly counted that Viola became pregnant, when Sable still was in time of the mutation. The white dragoness started yelling at him, how could he be such an idiot to mate in time of mutation, for what risk he exposed his kids how could he wish to become medic after making such a reckless mistake. And then Viola interrupted her, saying that Sable had told her that, but she had ignored him. At that moment Viola blushed, waiting for punishment. Sable had never before seen her this embarrassed. But Ivory had just smiled with understanding. And Sable had started his job the very next day. After several years, the white dragoness had already trusted in Sable's competence.

"So, do you have any explanation?" Ivory interrupted Sable's thinking with routine question, she was repeating for already four years.

"Well, I and Tris finished training earlier, so I wanted to drowse for a hour, before coming there and I overslept." Ivory watched him skeptically. But she understood him, so she shouldn't be too strict. After all, he was late only several minutes.

"From what I heard from Flush, your kids take frequent lateness after you." Sable smiled and nodded. Flush was Ivory's son, the fire breather. He and Arriate and Ñeque were classmates and the best friends, so he could say that without any doubts.

"Captain, today, they were in the academy on time." Sable refused and Ivory watched him with admiration. She even ignored fact that she was called Captain. Sable had been calling her like that for almost five years already. At first, it was just a joke. He had been calling her like that so long that eventually, he didn't even try to change that, since everyone had already got used to that. Though it could sound very officially, Sable used it as nickname and that was probably the only nickname that Ivory would accept. Definitely better one than "Ivy", as one poor magical sensor learnt one day.

"Bravo." She congratulated him. Then, she turned to others. "Well, I have good news. Today, there's practically no job and the third team declared to take our duty, so you have a free day." All dragons acknowledged it with amusement.

"Maybe let's go training, huh, Sable?" Tris suggested. She really wanted to beat Sable again.

"Enjoy your victory, as long as you can." The lightning dragon replied. The fire breather shrugged, a bit disappointed, bided everyone goodbye and left.

"I'll be going too, then." Sable bowed slightly, he was about to leave, when Ivory called him.

"Don't forget to take Flush from academy, right?" She asked. "You have free day, but I still have a lot of job here." She explained, pointing some notes at her table. As the director of hospital, she had much more duties than others.

"No problem, Captain." Sable replied. "Crag, are you going?" He asked.

"No, no." He refused. "I'll help Ivory and we'll finish this all much faster."

"Have a nice day, then." Sable said and left. He noticed that there was something strange about Crag and Ivory. Ivory seemed not to notice that, but that earth dragon had been intensively trying to get closer to her. And knowing how really white dragoness still loved her deceased mate, he knew that it couldn't finish well. Sable shook his head, getting rid of those thoughts. It wasn't his problem, but Crag's and he wasn't going to bother himself with things like that when he had holiday. Sable checked position of sun. He still had much time before kids finishing the academy, a perfect opportunity to pay a visit to a friend of his..

"Crag?" Ivory called the earth dragon.

"Yes?" He interrupted placing books at shelves and turned to her, watching deeply into her azure eyes. His heart rate spiked, though he really tried to slow it down.

"Thank you for helping me. It's a free day for you after all and..."

"That's nothing." The earth dragon refused. "You need my help, so I'll help you. Just tell me when you need me." He smiled friendly and white dragoness did so as well.

"What's that book?" Ivory pointed small notebook that Crag left on Ivory's desk. It was small, about one-hundred-page book with brown hardcover. There was some black, but faded, short inscription, maximally three words. She read only two first letters, beautifully ornamented 'Li', when the earth dragon took it quickly and hid to his bag at side, this same, as the most of medics had.

"An old notebook, a memorial." Crag explained. He never was talkative, when it was about his past. "That's nothing." He added quickly.

"What are you hiding there?" Ivory asked curiously.

"Nothing important." The earth dragon lied.

"Can I see it?" The white dragoness asked.

"No." He refused with gentle, but firm voice. Ivory sighed deeply.

"It's very old, isn't it? It looks like it had thousand years." She noticed. Crag smiled ironically.

"You have no idea." He whispered.

In the center of a corridor, there was waiting young, about five years old fire breather. There was no one more, only him, it was middle of lesson, after all. Almost all his scales were red, only the ones at his underbelly were purely yellow. He had yellow horns and claws, he looked in exactly this same way, as his father. Only thing he inherited from his mother were azure eyes, already pulsing with weak magical light. Youngster was waiting for his friends, looking around impatiently.

"Flush!" He heard familiar female voice calling him from the end of corridor. Flush took after father practically everything, even name. Ivory just couldn't help it when she realized how similar the son was to father. From behind the corner appeared a small yellow dragoness, right behind her was running her brother. "Flush!" Arriate shouted again. Flush turned around and saw them. The first of them was a lightning dragoness, Arriate. All her scales were purely yellow. External side of her wings had this same color, but internal was much lighter, almost white. At head, she had six short, thin and purely white horns, two of them at top, four other at sides. Her irises were gold, but had a gentle note of orange, almost unnoticeable. She had very characteristic tailblade. It was very long and slender, so it looked as if it would break when hit strongly. Because of that and its purely white color, everyone would say that it looked like some sword.

Her brother, Ñeque, looked completely different. He was an azure ice dragon, just like his mother. His scales at chest were a little darker than the ones covering the rest of his body. He had two thick and curved horns at top of his head. They were white. His irises were a bit darker than azure. His tailblade was opposite to his sister's. It was very big as for his age, it had shape of diamond with small spike at each side, so it could give nasty blows.

Those two were running to Flush. The young fire breather sighed deeply and shook his head with disbelief. It couldn't mean anything good.

"Not again." He whispered with begging voice. He knew, what was going to happen next.

"You'd better run!" Ñeque said, when from behind corner appeared three about ten years old dragons.

"Wonderful." The young fire breathed said to himself silently. For Flush it was obvious that those three were running after his friends. The second obvious thing was that they would love to get him as well, so he started running too. Arriate and Ñeque lined up with him and grinned.

"It's not funny!" Flush said with regrets. He hated, when they were involving him in those pursuits. Twins just replied with silent laugh. All three ran down the stairs, the older dragons were right behind them. They suddenly turned right, several seconds later jumped into corridor at left. They came at intersection, when they noticed Zap and Torch staying in there.

"Hi there!"Ñeque greeted them , as they suddenly turned at left.

"Hi." Zap said, already guessing, what was going on. As expected, several seconds later, there appeared there three dragons, considering, which way to go.

"Right." They wanted to split up when Zap advised them. One of them thanked him silently and all three ran at the right. After less than a minute, they understood that they were lied.

Meanwhile, all three youngsters opened door to some class and entered, just in a case, if they were still being followed.

"Oh, that's you again." Tremor watched three youngsters, like all the students, who had a lesson at that moment. "Like always?" He asked. All three nodded simultaneously. The earth guardian was the only teacher who knew about those mad pursuits. He was so cool, he wouldn't say anyone a word. All youngsters really liked him. "This time leave with that door." Tremor pointed the one at his right. "You'd better stop doing that, at one time, they'll notice that you always disappear at this same place."

"They aren't very clever, Master Tremor." Arriate noticed. Youngsters were about to leave right now. "You won't tell our parents a word?" The lightning dragoness asked.

"Of course not." Tremor smiled. "Go now, your parents are surely waiting for you." Youngsters bobbed their heads and left. As they closed door from class, Flush burst out with regrets.

"That was the last time!" He was resentful now. He started walking to exit leaving them behind.

"Oh, come on, Flush..." Ñeque poked his shoulder, as they caught up with the fire breather.

"Are you angry at us?" Arriate asked.

"A little." He liked them too much to be mad at them. "I don't like, when you do it."

"Why?"The ice dragon jerked his head with surprise. "Don't you like it?"

"Not really. What, if they catch us?" Flush had feelings, it would happen, sooner or later.

"No worries, they won't." The lightning dragoness assured him."At least not me." She added and grinned. From the three of them, Arriate was the fastest one. Or at least she claimed so. Then, she noticed her father, waiting for them. "Hi dad!" Sable smiled seeing them. He had already enough of waiting.

"There you are, kids. Let's go home."

Sable was walking across city without any hurry, like always, when he noticed someone familiar. They were lightning dragon and ice dragoness . At her back there were two little dragonesses. Both of them were sleeping, one was about four or five years old white dragoness, the other a little younger gold sister of hers. They looked like they were lost in the city. He heard silent male "I've been here already, I'm sure that we're not lost." Sable smiled to himself, this view reminded him, how he and Viola had came to Warfang. The lightning dragon turned around and Sable could see his face for a second. It was somehow familiar to him, he was sure, he had seen this dragon already. Then he recalled it. After all, he knew only one lightning dragon proud enough not to ask for directions in completely unknown city. Well, not only, but at least one, but all the others lived in Warfang or he wouldn't expect them here at all. Sable came to the lightning dragon from behind and poked his shoulder.

"Long time no see, Ray."

Hearing his name, Ray, for first several seconds was watching Sable completely dumbstruck, wondering, who is that person and how did he know his name. Then, he recognized Sable.

"No way..." The lightning dragon watched him, surprised. "You're Sable, right? The one, who fell in love with Viola and Cuarto Vengantimo, who with she left my city, aren't you?" Ray asked. For long time Sable didn't hear that words. Cuarto Vengantimo... that was bringing memories.

"Indeed, my name's Sable, I'm glad that you remembered me." He bowed slightly in characteristic for him way. "And who are those beauties?" He asked curiously.

"This is Lyrian, my mate and our daughter Livia." The lightning dragon said pointing yellow hatchling using lightning, as Sable guessed. "And that's Maggie." He said, pointing a white ice dragoness. "And they are your children, as I guess?" Ray asked, pointing three youngsters staying next to Sable.

"Yes. This is Arriate, Ñeque and their friend, Flush." Sable introduced them. "So, you've lost a way? Should I guide you anywhere?" He suggested and smiled, seeing Lyrian's thankful sight.

"I'm not lost." Ray refused. "I'm just..." He couldn't find any right word to explain himself. Under pressure of Lyrian's meaningful sight, he sighed deeply and hung his head sadly. "Fine, I'm lost." He admitted. Sable smiled pitifully, he knew, how proud lightning elder was and how much those words cost him.

"So, what brings you here? Something happened in the eastern city?" Sable asked.

"Nothing." Ray refused. "And that's why we're here." Sable watched him, dumbstruck. "For last three months nothing has happened there, but still they kept giving me a lot of boring stuff to do. I was so exhausted that I asked elders, if I could have some holiday, you know, spend more time with family, renew old friendships..."

"And here we are." Lyrian finished sentence.

"So how about you come to me?" Sable suggested. "Viola would be really happy to see you."

"Good idea." Lyrian admitted. "Lead us then." At first Ray wanted to argue that he knew the way, but he gave up. He sighed deeply and followed other dragons. He felt that at that moment he lost remains of his pride.

"So what's the news?" Viola asked curiously. As Sable had said, she was really pleased because of their visit.

"Your father is still mad at you, or at least he seems to be." The ice dragoness sighed sadly hearing Lyrian. "I doubt, if he'll ever forgive you escaping from the house."

"So, returning to my old home still isn't a good idea?" Viola asked and Ray shook his head.

"Your sisters told me to give you that." Ray gave surprised dragoness some sheets of paper. Viola easily recognized them and smiled warmly. That were letters, Sable used to send her, when he had been Vengantimo.

"How are they doing?" She hasn't seen neither Froza or Ciri for last five years.

"Not bad, Froza's pregnant, so soon, you'll become aunt. And Ciri... She's growing up so quickly and yet, she's still this same, curious and annoying kid. They both really miss you." Ray said.

"Maybe we'll visit them someday?" Sable watched his mate questioningly.

"Yeah, someday, I must ask my father to forgive me." She agreed. "And how is he doing?" She asked.

"Not bad, though old Blizzard isn't young any more. Those five years seemed to be fifteen to him, in fact. He still can't believe that you actually ran away with Sable. I guess, it was really hard for him to accept it. His health broke down for some time, but he's fine. And how's your new life?" It was Ray's turn for questions.

"Wonderful." Sable stated. "We have everything that we actually need. Home, family, friends... What more do we need?" He asked.

"Some adrenaline. You know, routine is fatal, when danger surprises you. It's good, when you, once for several years face a danger. Of course not deadly one, but still, something, what would make your heart pound faster. And last situation like that I had about eighteen years ago."

"Eighteen?" Viola asked surprised. "Our city was attacked sixteen years ago."

"Yeah, but I wasn't in city then. I've been sent to Warfang when our village was under attack." Though Ray knew that he lived on the verge of city, which was attacked by surprise and he would have most likely had died, he really regretted that he hadn't been in his home when this had happened.

"So, which situation do you mean?" Viola asked.

"It was when Flame was chosen to be a candidate for the fire guardian, there was a great banquet and ball. I and Lyrian were wandering far away from all those noises when we saw..."

"...three wyverns, sitting at the hill." Sable finished Ray's sentence and smiled, watching surprise at his face.

"Were you that..." Lyrian asked, Sable nodded before she finished sentence. She watched him surprised. "Well, the name fitted, but still, that's unexpected."

"Excuse me, what are you all talking about? I think, I missed a point." Viola asked. She was completely dumbstruck.

"We finally found out, where we've met already, even before I knew you." Sable explained her.

"So?" Viola asked curiously.

"It was in..." Ray tried to say, but Sable stopped him.

"It's much longer story than you think, Ray." The lightning dragon said. "Let me tell it."

"Sable, tell it with details." Viola asked him. Her mate smiled to her.

"You'll regret that wish." Sable foretold with ominous grin. Then, he started his story.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3. "My dream"

Eighteen years earlier

A young wyvern was running through one of hundreds corridors of his tribe's cave. Sable was jumping between other passersby without slowing down and barely avoiding them. He tried to wear his second scabbard at back, when he ran at some wyvern, fell on the ground and dropped the sword. Older wyvern just hissed and walked away. The youngster cursed silently, wore scabbard at back and continued running. He went at the lower level and after minute entered throne room. They all were already waiting. His father, Sueño as Señor de la Tribu, was staying at the center, at one his side was Sable's mother, Canta and at the other his sister, Sonrisa.

"Wait, wait..." Lyrian interrupted him. "Who is that Señor de la Tribu?"

"Wyverns don't have elders or guardians, like we. There's one king, called Señor de la Tribu."

"Were you someone like a prince there?" Ray asked.

"Yes, I used to be prince. Shall I continue?" All three listeners nodded.

At right from Sable's closest family was staying Sirius, Sueño's younger brother and oppositely to him was his older brother, Verdad, with his three sons: Clavius, Oscuro and Cobro. All wyverns except Sonrisa, who was still too young, only three years old, had their swords. It was this family's tradition, that every its member had his own sword, or two, like Sable or his mother. Each of them was different, they had another shape, length and even color of steel, Sable's were purely white, but for example his father's one was crimson. Sueño sighed deeply watching his son.

"You're late like always, Sable." He said, like always in situations like this.

"My greatest apologize, father." Sable bowed, almost touching ground with jaws.

"Never mind. After all, it's your great day." The wyvern watched his father dumbstruck.

"My...great...day?" He had no idea, what did that mean.

"We noticed that you still haven't any fiancée." His father explained. Sable was already thirteen and at this age, future Señor de la Tribu should already have a fiancée. "So, we decided to have arranged your marriage." Sable was completely aghast, he didn't know, how should he react.

"I...understand." That was all, he could say. In mind, he begged, that she would be someone, who he at least knew well. Then, Sueño waved to guard staying next to gate. Wyvern nodded and opened the door. To room went she. A bit older than him wyverness, longer for about ten centimeters. She was moving very smoothly and gracefully. She stood next to him and sent him slight smile. Sable recognized her. It was his best friend from childhood, Leal. Sable sighed with relief and thanked his father in mind. She was surely best fiancée for him.

"Leal, once, you'll join this family, you'll remain its member to death." Sueño started speaking in wyvern's language. "With this title is bonded great responsibility. From now, with every your action, you'll represent not only yourself, but also your mate..." Sable blushed softly. "...your family and our tribe. In time of war you shall not fear enemy, but stand in the first line and, if that's necessary, die in order to protect your tribe. Do you understand this responsibility and accept it?" Leal knew, there was another danger, which Sueño didn't mention; the brutal policy. She knew that if she would try to get some serious authority, she'd be quickly undercut. And probably killed.

"I do." Leal sealed her fate. Señor de la Tribu bobbed at his mate. Canta nodded and stood in front of young wyverness. Leal bowed before her.

"Raise your head, Leal." The young wyverness heard melodious and smooth voice. She glared in Canta's eyes and saw, that she was holding sword and scabbard. "From now, you are member of our family. Take your sword and use it wisely." Leal took her sword, scabbard wore at her back. Then, she took blade and raised her above her, glaring at her, fascinated. It was long and thin, a bit curved, blue blade. She was watching it for several seconds. Then, with agile move she hid it to scabbard, turned to Sable and kissed him.

"She did what?!" Viola asked with indignation, interrupting her mate's story. Ray and Lyrian laughed, seeing her anger and Sable's embarrassment.

"I said that you wouldn't like those details." Sable reminded her. "I warned you." He repeated himself.

"It doesn't change fact that she kissed you!" The ice dragoness argued resentfully.

"She was my fiancée. And though I didn't, she actually loved me." He explained her.

"Didn't you?" She asked suspiciously, watching him with narrowed eyes. You have to hand it to Viola that though she didn't doubt in Sable's loyalty, she could kill with sight, or talons and teeth, every female that would behave in improper way. Not speaking of kissing.

"Of course not." He nuzzled her and kissed her cheek. "You know that I love only you and kids." They were glaring at each other for several seconds lovingly, when Ray coughed meaningfully.

"Could you continue?" He asked.

"Surprised?" Leal asked, as she nuzzled him.

"Yeah." He admitted. He knew, it would happen someday, but didn't expect it so suddenly. He turned at Señor de la Tribu. "Father, I have a request."

"What is it?" Sueño asked, a bit surprised.

"I want to make a journey with Sonrisa and Leal." Sable's sister smiled. He had promised her that earlier.

"And how long would it take?"

"About month." Seeing worries at his mother's face, Sable quickly added "No worries, we'll be fine." Canta still wanted to refuse, but Sueño spoke earlier.

"Good. That will be a good test for all three of you. When do you leave?" Canta, as every exemplary mother, in gesture of overprotection, electrified her mate with sight, but Sueño just ignored her.

"At the evening." Sable said.

Two weeks later

Sable, with sleeping Sonrisa at his back, landed softly. Next to him appeared Leal. They were staying at the very end of forest, they could see city walls.

"I don't like this idea." Leal stated. "I understand that you've promised Sonrisa to show her dragons, but couldn't we go to any other city? Or village? There are smaller ones." She noticed.

"Yeah, but in Warfang, though it's big city, don't live many dragons. And after death of Ignitus, there is being chosen a new fire guardian, so we'll have opportunity to see real power of dragons..." Sable smirked. "...not pointed at us." He added. It wasn't helping Leal to calm down at all.

"And what, if they notice us?" She asked.

"Then I hope, you're fast, because it will be pointed at us." Sable said and his fiancée smiled. "I'm serious." He said with gloomy voice.

"Charming." Leal whispered. Then something draw her attention. "Do you hear it? A music." Sable nodded.

"That's probably some banquet." He stated.

"There aren't many dragons, huh?" Leal asked resentfully.

"Does it change a thing?" Sable asked. "The ball is somewhere there." He pointed before him. "And if we get at that hill, we can see everything from safe distance. How about that?" He asked. Leal sighed deeply, glared at her sword, as if it was going to give her advice.

"Fine." She agreed. They jumped in the air, silently flew above city walls, easily avoiding being noticed, and quickly got to pointed by Sable place. There, wyvern woke up his sister.

"Sonrisa, we're already here." The youngster looked around and opened her jaws widely, completely aghast with view of city. Then, she nuzzled him.

"This is so wonderful, Sab!" She was so happy that he took her there that she couldn't explain that with words.

"There are dragons." Sable pointed his sister plaza, where were gathered dragons. Sonrisa sat in the place, where she had good view and started watching them, dancing. Sable sat next to her and after several seconds, Leal gracefully appeared at his side, and slowly sat down, laying her head at his chest. Sable covered them both with wings. All three remained in this position for some time. Sable, like Leal, was half-sleeping after long journey. His head was slowly falling down, to raise in moment, when he would collapse. Then, his sister poked him under rib painfully, immediately awaking him.

"Ouch!" He hissed angrily with blaming sight, but Sonrisa didn't even notice that.

"Sab, look there." She pointed at dragons. "At first, he didn't notice a thing, but then, he saw two young dragons, purple and black, flying higher and higher and making circles meanwhile. They looked so majestic, as if they've been training that movements for years. Sonrisa was watching them, as if she was enchanted with their grace. She didn't do a thing, Sable doubted, if was she breathing, before they landed on the ground, finishing their majestic dance. Then, still watching them carefully, she asked "Sab, who are they?"

"The purple dragon is Spyro. The black dragoness is Cynder. Their two saved our world." He explained.

"So...beautiful." That was all, she said. Before Sable asked her, who exactly did she mean, he heard some noise behind him. Steps.

"Leal, we have a guests." Sable whispered. The wyverness turned around at direction, where Sable was watching. She grasped a hilt of sword, ready to use it, but Sable put paw at her shoulder and shook his head. She dropped it obediently. From forest appeared two dragons, about his age; lightning dragon and ice dragoness.

"Wyverns." The male dragon stated. "You're spying on our city, huh?"

"No." Sable refused. We've just came here to watch the show." He explained, but dragon jerked his head and watched him skeptically.

"And we're supposed to believe that? I can recognize wyvern and I can also recognize, when someone lies." He said and turned to dragoness. "Lyrian, stand back. I'll deal with him."

"Dreams, you feverous moron." She replied. "I'm not going to explain your father, how you've got chopped by two wyverns. It would be such great pity, if you died, Ray." She said last sentence sarcastically.

"Was that sarcasm?" Ray asked.

"Of course not." Lyrian lied through her teeth again with sarcastic voice.

"Leal, take Sonrisa and fly. I'll buy you some time." Sable decided. His fiancée watched him with worries.

"Buy us time? Are you going to join us or not?" Leal asked. Hearing this, Sonrisa watched him with worries.

"No worries." Sable smiled confidently. "I'll join you soon." Leal took youngster at his back and flew away, still watching him, unsure, if wasn't he bluffing. Fighting two dragons at once was quite a challenge, after all. "This is fight between you and me, dragons." Sable said, when the ice dragoness was about to follow them. "And as I see, it's unavoidable." With trained movement, he drawn both his swords. Then, he bowed slightly, in characteristic for him way.

"My name is Sable, hijo del Sueño. And yours are?"

"Ray, the lightning dragon."

"Lyrian, the ice dragoness." They introduced themselves.

"You know, you make a perfect couple." Sable stated and smiled maliciously.

"You've actually said that..." Viola asked, surprised. She tried not to laugh aloud. All three dragons nodded.

"Word by word." Ray said. "That's exactly what Sable said. I remember it perfectly, as if it had happened yesterday." He smiled slightly.

"So do I." Lyrian agreed.

"I guess, you weren't pleasured with that, huh, Lyrian?" Viola asked. "After all, it was hard to call a bond between you and him a friendship back then." Lyrian nodded.

"You have no idea." The ice dragoness agreed.

"What did he say?" The ice dragoness asked with hissing voice, aghast. "Did he say..."

"You make a perfect couple." Sable interrupted her. "Do I really have to repeat myself?" He asked, smiling insolently. Ray glared at Lyrian, worried and scared. He knew this voice. She always spoke like that, when he vexed her enough to make her chase after him. He placed his paw at her shoulder.

"Lyrian, calm down." He pleased. She pushed his paw away from her and started running to the wyvern. "Lyrian, it's a trap!" Ray shouted, but she didn't care about that. "Yeah, I'm feverous one, you hypocrite!" He said with annoyance. She didn't react at all.

"We're not a couple!" The ice dragoness shouted, mad at the wyvern who dared suggesting such a thing. Sable made offensive position, ready to quickly finish her. He couldn't believe that ice user was so feverous. Lyrian slashed, Sable leaned back and hit her with paw, knocking her out. Lyrian rolled away, avoiding wyvern's blade. She was on her back, when Sable appeared right above her. He stung her, aiming at shoulder. He didn't mean to kill her, but just cause such pain, she would be unable to move. Sword went through the flesh, but Sable missed. He saw, that it pierced lightning dragon's paw, so it's hilt was touching his palm and edge was stuck in the ground. The wyvern had no idea how Ray made it this far so fast, but it wasn't good time for wondering about such trivial things.

"Don't you dare..." Sable heard creepy sound of charged lightning. "...touching her!" Ray shouted. The wyvern jumped away. Too late, he took this blow at chest and fell on the ground several meters further. He didn't even try to stand up. Meanwhile, Ray groaned painfully, as he took sword out from his paw. He sighed with relief, seeing that Lyrian was fine.

"Your paw..." The ice dragoness said, almost worried about him. Then she noticed, in what pose they were. Lyrian was laying at her back and Ray was standing right above to her, between their faces there only centimeters. And the strangest thing was his sight. He had never watched her with this kind of sight. It was somehow...hearty. "What?" Lyrian asked, dumbstruck.

"Who knows, maybe we indeed make a nice couple." He wasn't trying to annoy her, but was serious.

"I swear, someday I'll kill you." She promised him, serious as well. Ray wanted to say something, when he noticed some movement next to him.

"Well, I think, I'll be first to do it." The dragon heard sad voice. Between Ray and Lyrian's throats appeared Sable's sword. It was pointed at the lightning dragon. From so short distance it was impossible to avoid blow.

"You can't kill us both fast enough." The lightning dragon noticed. "You can slit my throat, but Lyrian will release herself and call for help. You can't escape, wyvern." The dragon grinned confidently.

"I am Sable, I gave you my name not to be called wyvern. Why you, dragons, are such racists?" The wyvern asked himself.

"Give up, Sable. Even if you'll kill me, you've lost." Ray said trying to play cocky, even though his heart was hammering so loudly that even Sable could hear it.

"But what if I kill her, huh?" Sable's sword touched Lyrian's throat. The wyvern knew that she was dragon's soft point.

"No way..." Viola interrupted Sable.

"What?" Sable watched her curiously.

"Lyrian was Ray's soft point? Already seventeen years ago? I can hardly believe that." The ice dragoness said.

"And what am I supposed to say?" Ray asked.

"Sable, just continue." Lyrian pleased. For some reason, she didn't want this conversation to imply any conclusion.

"You..." Ray hissed hatefully.

"All, I want, is to leave this city, Ray. I don't want to kill any of you. Just let me go and no one will die." Sable said with begging sight. Ray sighed deeply. He believed that Sable was spy. If it would be about his life, he wouldn't admit, but if about Lyrian's... he had no choice.

"Fine." But Sable didn't hear that answer. He felt intensive burning pain at his back. The wyvern groaned painfully. He had no idea, what was going on. Whole his vision blurred, sword slipped out from paw and slowly fell on the ground. He collapsed. His unconscious eyes slowly closed. Ray watched him, dumbstruck, and turned his head to see much older than him lightning dragon, so majestic and exalted. The elder of the eastern city: Cloud.

"Are you alright, Ray, Lyrian?" Newcomer asked.

"Yes, dad." Ray replied.

Sable blinked his eyes several times, he lifted his head and looked around. "Master Terrador, he woke up!" He heard. The wyvern noticed that there were no windows, but torches were glowing intensively. Any try of escape would be madness in his situation. Even, if in front of only escape, there weren't staying two dragons. Sable was feeling somehow awkward. Before he noticed that his katanas were gone, passed a minute. It was very unpleasant feeling, as if he had lost arm. Then, to room entered three old dragons. Every of them had another element, but there wasn't any fire breather. Sable slowly stood up, though it cost him intensive pain in back. Dragons watched him surprised, as he bowed characteristically.

"Dragon guardians, I know, it may sound absurdly, but could I receive my swords back?" The wyvern begged. "At this state and situation, it would be great foolishness to attack you."

"It's marvelous, surprising, unexpected, that so young, immature and verdant wyvern asks us about so inordinate, excessive, exaggerated request, don't you think?" Voulteer noticed. He was speaking so fast, that Sable got lost at word "young". He knew that dragon spoke to him, but he was completely dumbstruck. He had no idea, what should he say.

"Excuse me, but could you repeat yourself? I'm not sure, if I understood, what exactly was on your mind." Sable said diplomatically. Terrador just sighed deeply, but Cyril laughed silently. The lightning guardian was about to speak, when the door opened. Several dragons entered, two of them had at their backs two wyverns, conscious. Those were Leal and Sonrisa. They were put next to Sable.

"Master Terrador." The ice dragon, leader of group turned to the earth guardian. "We were going to kill them when appeared some youngster, speaking that guardians want them alive, so we brought them here." The earth guardian watched other guardians, but both of them were as surprised, as him. None of guardians knew that there were other wyverns.

"Who did tell you that?" Terrador asked.

"We." To room entered Lyrian and Ray. Sable noticed that lightning dragon's paw was bandaged by thin fabric, most likely while flying. Blood had already soaked through it and on the ground, there started appearing a small red puddle. Ray was unnaturally pale, as if he would faint any second. "I'm Ray, son of Cloud, who is elder of the eastern city." The lightning user introduced himself silently and would collapse, if Lyrian didn't catch him.

"My name is Lyrian, daughter of Itara." The ice dragoness introduced herself and swallowed hardly under pressure of earth guardian's sight.

"Why have you lied them?" Terrador asked. Ray tried to speak, but Lyrian electrified him with sight.

"We thought, it would be better to keep those two alive." She replied. "To find out, why they're here." She added, but a bit too late. For everyone, it was obvious that she was lying and they saved two wyverness just because of pity.

"You both are candidates for elders of your city in future, aren't you?" Cyril asked. Both dragons nodded. "And you know, how much you risked with that willfulness?"

"Does my position really matter, when it's about someone's life?" Ray asked silently. Lyrian understood that he didn't mean only those two wyverns. She gave him painful blow of elbow between ribs.

"I told you to shut up, moron." She whispered.

"Those dragons, though their behavior was insubordinate and improper on the surface, acted in equitable, valid, well grounded way." Voulteer said, like always so fast, that Sable didn't understand a word. "They shouldn't be blamed or punished for so high-minded..."

"Voulteer, please... I understood." Terrador interrupted him in half of sentence. Then, he turned to Ray and Lyrian. "You're dismissed. I'll make sure Cloud and Itara give you proper punishment for that act." Both youngsters nodded. Lyrian was really happy about that, but Ray not at all. Oppositely to her parents, his father was very strict, when it was about obeying orders. And he wasn't lucky as Lyrian who was daddy's beloved daughter. When two young dragons left, the guardians turned at wyverns. Sable had feeling that he should speak first.

"We know your names, but we still haven't introduced." Sable bowed characteristically. "My name is Sable, hijo del Sueño. This is my sister Sonrisa and my fiancée Leal." He finished introduction.

"What is your three doing here?" Asked Cyril.

"Sonrisa really wanted to see dragons, so I came here to show them to her." Sable explained, all three guardians watched him skeptically. "Why no one believes me?"

"Because you can be spy of southern wyverns. Lastly we haven't noticed any their activity, but it doesn't mean, they're gone." Terrador watched wyvern suspiciously.

"I'm from one of northern tribes. Joven, previous Señor de la Tribu, was helping dragons secretly in time of your war. My father, Sueño, did as well." From change at dragons' faces, he knew, he hit a point.

"It's not very hard to find this out and lie us." Cyril refused. "And from what I know, the northern tribes use another language."

"It's true, but members of royal family, who in age of seven get their swords, and most important wyverns of tribe, learn also your language in case of situations like this." Sable explained, hoping that they would finally believe him.

"You mean, you're a member of royal family?" Terrador watched him a bit surprised. "Who exactly?"

"I already said that. I'm the only son of Señor de la Tribu, Sueño." Sable repeated himself.

"Prove it then." Cyril told him. Sable sighed deeply. Why were they so distrustful?

"Do any of you can speak native wyvern's language?" He watched all guardians in hope.

"I do." Voulteer declared. "Though it's hard, complicated and completely unknown for dragons..." Cyril rolled his eyes, expecting another his monologue.

"Silencio, por favor." Sable interrupted him, politely with perfect wyvern accent. "Y tratar de entender." Now, Sable was going to repay the lightning guardian for his impossible to understand speech. He started speaking, the fastest he could. After about minute, seeing that Voulteer understands him, wyvern started using the most sophisticated words he could. The dragon didn't sand a chance, he got lost in several seconds. Sable finished his monologue in next five minutes and two guardians watched with asking sight Voulteer.

"With no doubts, obviously, it's his native language. I've never seen or met anyone, who would use it with such practice and easiness." To Sable's relief, for once, he understood the lightning guardian.

"My apologize for this suspicions, Sable." Terrador said.

"I don't mind. You have right to be suspicious, our races have had practically no contact lately."

"So, you've come here to see our city?" Cyril asked.

"Sonrisa really wanted to do it and I couldn't refuse to her." Sable stroked his sister's head and she laughed silently with pleasure. She nodded, confirming older brother's words. The ice guardian watched her carefully.

"So, what do you think about Warfang?" Cyril was actually curious about her opinion.

"It's beautiful! I've never seen so majestic place." She replied without moment of considering.

"Well, sister, I'm afraid that we'll have to leave it now." Sable said sadly.

"What?" She jerked her head and started watching him, almost crying. "Why?"

"I doubt, if dragons will allow us to stay in city. After all, we aren't guests, but intruders."

"Well, I think that we will turn a blind eye to three spectators for a day or two." Terrador said casually.

"Thank you." Sable bowed, after second Leal and Sonrisa did this same.

"Go now. Don't miss whole the show."

From that conversation passed already two days. It was the midnight, but wyverns decided, they should rest before journey to their home. Sable was laying on the ground and watching stars, when next to him sat Sonrisa. The wyvern watched her, surprised. He thought that they both are already sleeping. "Shouldn't you sleep? It's going to be long journey."

"I can't sleep, Sab." She confessed. She seemed to be troubled about something.

"What's on your mind?" He asked.

"Is it possible..." She stopped for a moment. "...to become a dragon?" Sable opened his jaws, completely dumbstruck. The hatchling giggled silently seeing that.

"W...What are you talking about?" He asked, after several seconds of silence.

"Can I become a dragon?" She asked again and watched him hopefully.

"Of course not." He refused. "You're a wyverness and nothing will change it." Sonrisa immediately saddened. She looked like she would cry. "And why do you want to become dragon so much?"

"You saw her. Cynder." She said that name with something between envy and admiration. "She lives in a beautiful city, not our dark caves. Her scales are so purely black, so clear... And ours? Unpolished and colored with this disgusting green. And have you seen Spyro?" She asked, jealous. "He was so...majestic." She whispered with dreamy voice, using a word she had learnt from Volunteer.

"You should appreciate this, what you have." Her older brother tried to cheer her up. "Soon, you'll grow up, mom will give you a sword even more beautiful than all scales of world and you'll find someone even more handsome than Spyro. In twenty years, you'll become the queen of our kingdom…"

"Me?" She asked surprised. "What about you?" Sonrisa since ever thought that he would be next leader.

"I have no chance. Dad deifies you." He explained her. "Anyway, someday, you'll stand face to face with Cynder and trust me, she'll be the jealous one." He said firmly.

"No, she won't, unless I become dragoness. This is my dream." Sonrisa refused. Sable watched her pitifully.

"Niño..." Sonrisa electrified him with sight. She hated to be called kid. "Dreams should have at least any chance to fill, otherwise you shouldn't even dream about it. It's not practical at all."

"So what's your dream?" She turned with her back at him, resentful in ordinary way for little girl.

"To have an ordinary, happy life with loving mate and the family. I not really care about ruling Celeste Tribu. I could, but I don't have to."

"I'm sure I'll be first to fill my dream." She murmured, watching ground intensively.

"What?" Sable asked, amused.

"I can bet that before you'll be a father, you'll meet a wyverness, who became a dragoness." She said. Sable laughed.

"Are you sure..." At first he wanted to refuse, but quickly understood that opportunity like this wouldn't happen again soon. "If I win, I'll be calling you niño for month." She watched him with sight, which couldn't be called friendly.

"But if I win, you're taking me to Spyro." Sonrisa grinned. If Sable would lose, he would also lose at least month for travel to Warfang.

"Fine." He admitted without hesitations. After all, he was completely sure, he'd win. "And now, you'd better go sleeping. It's going to be long journey."

"Goodnight, Sab." The wyverness laid next to him, Sable covered her with his wing.

"Goodnight, Sonrisa." He muttered. "And by the way...don't mention dad about anything that happened in Warfang, neither about capturing us or your new dream. I think, dad would kill me, if he knew."

"No problem." The youngster agreed.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. "Arrival"

A wyvern was sitting at some meadow all alone, listening to the howling wind coming from the south, from dragon cities. Those were very warm winds. He'd love to believe it was a good sign, not just a coincidence. He was wearing on his back his three swords; long green blade with gold ornaments resembling flowers, a short red blade and quite wide silver sword. All of them were one-handed, but only the green one was the royal sword, given to him when he was just a hatchling. The other two he gained with time. The red one used to belong to some traitor from the nobility, the silver, the most precious from his collection, to Sable. The wyvern heard some steps. He grasped green blade's hilt, just in the case.

"It' just me, Cobro." The approaching wyvern assured. Cobro dropped his sword and smiled slightly.

"And what are you doing here, Oscuro?" He asked curiously. The other wyvern, only a little younger than him, sat by his side.

"Wondering where my big brother could have gone." Oscuro explained. He had a royal sword on his back as well. It was big, double-handed silver steel, perfectly straight, with no unnecessary ornaments. The sword was double-edged, but neither of edges was straight. Instead they had plenty of rectangular irregularities because of which it looked like some big key. The irregularities were covered in green liquid; deadly poison. Even without it Oscuro was one of the best sword-masters not just in Celeste Tribu, but probably in the whole world.

"Do you think that he will come?" Cobro asked doubtfully. He took his silver sword and watched it carefully. "From the very beginning I doubted in my mate's idea."

"I believe he will. I know him, once he hears the news he will feel obligated to help Celeste Tribu." Oscuro assured. "He couldn't have changed at this point."

"It's been sixteen years, Oscuro. It's not this same person anymore. The things are changing." Cobro disagreed.

"But not this." The wyvern argued confidently. "No matter how badly you'll be trying, you can damage, but you can't break some bonds. Some things don't change." Oscuro assured. His older brother watched him carefully and sighed deeply. He laid down on the long grass watching the moon carefully.

"I hope you're right."

"Shouldn't we already go home?" A young green dragoness asked. "This place is so scary, when it's dark..." A youngster felt creeps, while saying that. She looked around. Walls of city were only about hundred meters behind them, but trees were so dense, she couldn't see it.

"Oh, come on, Terra, you're with me, right? Nothing bad will happen." Much older than her, lightning dragoness assured her. "I said parents that I'll take care of you, didn't I?"

"You did." Terra admitted. "But every time, you say so, I have to save your tail." The earth dragoness added and her sister watched her resentfully. "Don't refuse, Sagacy! It's always like that." The lightning dragoness sighed deeply.

"Fine, fine." Then, she noticed big tree with parallel to ground branches. Right beneath them was small, but deep stream. It was perfect for her purpose. "Terra, check this out!" The lightning dragoness flew at the branch, wrapped her tail around it and jumped down, hanging several centimeters above ground.

"Wow." The earth dragoness said with weary voice.

"Oh, come on..." The dragoness called Sagacy started seesawing. "It's great fun!" Terra rolled her eyes, but jumped in the air and landed at branch. She also started seesawing, right next to her sister.

"I have to say...this is funny." The earth dragoness admitted reluctantly.

"I told you." Lightning dragoness smirked. Then, both dragonesses heard crack. Sagacy raised her head. "No, no, no, no, no..." She started repeating, like it would change a thing. Branch broke and both dragonesses fell in water with great splash. Sisters quickly emerged at surface of stream and, laughing, swam to the shore.

"Now, we'll have to find an explanation for parents, why are we so wet." The lightning dragoness noticed, as she felt ground beneath her feet. "That wasn't funny."

"Why not?" Terra jerked her head, surprised. "You should have seen your face."

"Well, you were even more..." Sagacy tried to argue.

"Shhhh!" Terra made her silent. "I heard something." Her older sister also noticed it. That were irregular steps, as if stranger was limping. Two young dragonesses could also hear deep breathes of someone really exhausted. Anyone he was, he was coming right to there. Both dragoness were ready for eventual defense. Then, they saw a stranger. And then, they screamed.

"Wow. That story was even longer, than I would expect." Ray yawned deeply. "And I thought, I know this story well." It was already the middle of night when Sable finished his history.

"You should have seen, how I took him from guardians. I was literally dragging him down the stairs." Lyrian said and Sable and Viola laughed, as they imagined that. "That was ridiculous." The ice dragoness smiled. Ray blushed softly and watched her annoyed. She loved turning his pride into pieces. He could swear, it was something like a hobby to her.

"You were the one that I had to save." He riposted.

"So that is, where from you have that scar." Viola pointed Ray's paw, interrupting their little argue. "I always wondered about that."

"Yeah." Ray raised his left paw and watched his long, straight scar. "I guess you left me memorial for the rest of my life, Sable." He said resentfully. Then, he looked out the window. "It's already night." He noticed. "I hope, we can sleep in your house for a day or two? We have nowhere to go. At this hour, at least." Ray asked. His pride was already in pieces, so another request didn't make any difference.

"No problem, we have one free room." The lightning dragon sighed with relief, hearing Viola's words.

"Thanks ancestors. Well, I'll go sleeping now and you can gossip with my dear feverous hothead." He said fondly and nuzzled her. "And this time try not to attack Sable, could you?" He pleased. Lyrian wanted to riposte, but Ray kissed her. "Goodnight." He whispered, before turning around and walking away to stairs. He knew, when he should back off to safe at least remains of his pride. Ray escaped quickly with sleeping daughters on his back.

"Lyrian?" Sable called her. The ice dragoness slowly turned her head. "Do you know, if..." Then, they heard loud knocking at door. The lightning dragon rolled his eyes. "I'll open." He stood up and slowly walked to the door. Anyone that was, he was very impatient, knocking strongly and quickly. Sable opened door and to his surprise, saw Dante. He had been flying quickly for sure, now breathing very fast, exhausted. Dante never was in hurry without a reason. Sable guessed, that Tris had sent him. And it couldn't be something as trivial, as training.

"What is it?" He asked. Before answering, earth dragon breathed deeply several times.

"Ivory...she calls you...to the hospital." Dante was panting.

"What exactly is it?" Sable specified his question. He really wanted to know more details.

"No idea, but she wants you to hurry up." The poet explained. Sable sighed deeply. He really wished that he could have whole that day free. But reality loved to be brutal for him, didn't it?

"Give me a second." He said to Dante and came to the room where two ice dragonesses were sitting. "Viola, I have to go to hospital. I may be out for whole night, so don't wait for me with sleeping." Viola nodded with understanding.

"Fine. Goodnight, then." She said sadly. Sable pressed his lips to hers gently.

"Goodnight."

Dante and Sable left house and started flying to hospital. They flew in silence, both of them were thinking about something intensively. Sable tried to figure out, why was he called to hospital. He doubted, if he could heal anything that Ivory or any other captain of medical team couldn't. There could be possibility that someone from his friend could be in the hospital, but he had no idea, why Ivory wouldn't call Viola as well. When they landed in front of hospital, Tris was waiting for them there.

"Thanks for bringing him, sweaty." Tris nuzzled Dante.

"Is there anything else, I can do?" The earth dragon asked.

"No, that's all, thanks."

"Are you sure?" He asked. Dante really wanted to help.

"Yeah, go sleeping, I'll join you as soon, as I can." The fire dragoness promised.

"Your wish is an order for me." He bowed in theatrical way. Then, he bided both dragons goodbye and disappeared in darkness of night.

"He's so romantic..." Tris said with dreamy voice. "Well, at least for once, you're not late." She noticed, smiling. Sable noticed that there was something wrong about her smile, as if she was trying to hide that she was nervous.

"Yeah, but I not really understand, what you, Captain and I are doing here." His expression was obvious. He expected explanation.

"Crag is here as well. He and Ivory have spent whole day in the hospital." She explained. "They have been getting closer to each other lastly, haven't they?" Tris asked casually.

"Crag tries to. But I doubt, if Captain did at least notice that. Even if, I give him no chance."

"You're cruel, Sable." She stated. "I believe, he may succeed. Ivory really loved Flush, but it's been already five years."

"If you'd ever converse with Captain or at least guardian Candice or Tremor about Captain and her mate, you would understand everything. Anyway, how you were called here?" He asked curiously. The fire breather couldn't baffle him that easily.

"I and Dante heard two screaming dragonesses. When we came there, it appeared that some youngster had literally crawled to the city walls, barely alive." From Tris's face disappeared smile, her voice started shaking. "She was grave...ly woun...ded." At end of sentence she was so jittery, she couldn't speak.

"Are you alright?" Sable asked with worries. "You're trembling."

"At first I saw her...I was sure...she had...red...scales." She was so scared, as that view appeared in her mind. "But it was...blood." Tris looked like she was going to cry. "She wasn't fighting. She was being tortured. There are no doubts about that. Anyone..." She stopped for a while. "Anyone did that... he... wanted to give her...pain." The young medic reminded herself, how Sable told her, how lucky she was at battle of Venganza and guardians. That if she would meet not Vixen, but Atroz... The dragoness shook her head, getting rid of all that thoughts.

"Are you sure, you want to help us? We can do it alone." Sable suggested.

"I'm going with you. We're team, aren't we?" Tris smiled nervously, trying to persuade herself that it was a good idea.

"So, what happened to her?" Sable asked. He saw that Tris was already mentally exhausted, but faster he knew situation, the better it was for that wounded dragoness.

"Well..." Tris wasn't sure, how to start. "The first thing is that she had been starving. I guess, she hadn't eaten for two or three weeks. Whole her body is covered in deep and wide injuries, most of them are flesh wounds, but there are several dangerous ones, besides, both her of wings were broken in such a way that she can't fly, but healing it will take short. You know, the broken ones are the endings of the thin bones of wing. Flying is theoretically possible, but it hurts so much that it's impossible to remain in the air. All around neck, she has one bloody line, but it's only laceration, one week and it will be gone. She has so many wounds, I'm surprised that she hadn't bled to death... In the worst state is her right hinder leg. Her bones are so crushed that putting all parts at right places is like a... puzzle. Crag said, he'd do it, but actually, I doubt, if I could heal that. It's beyond me." She wasn't jealous about him, just stated fact. "Ivory's healing that dragoness's eyes." Sable jerked his head, surprised.

"Eyes? What did they do to her? Did they stab her eyes?" He asked with disbelief. He felt his blood was boiling, he promised himself that he would find the one, who did it to that dragoness.

"No...not exactly. Her eyes are somehow...I don't know...burnt, I think. It's definitely not fresh wound, it has months or even years." Tris was unsure, how to call it. "All around her eyes are specific burns, as if someone had shot her face with magic from short distance." The young medic felt creeps as she said that. "Or rather..." She doubted, if should she continue.

"What? Please, tell me." Sable pleased.

"Ivory said that she had characteristic wounds at her face, which seem to mean that... someone pressed his paw to her face and released electricity right in her eyes. Just like only you can..." Tris said. Sable stopped for a while and watched her with disbelief.

"Do you mean that Captain suspects me?" He asked.

"Of course not! She just said she doesn't know who could do that!" Tris refused quickly. "I have no idea, how that dragoness made it to the city completely blind. Ivory guessed, she's the lightning dragoness who sensed another dragons."

"Can her eyes be healed?" The lightning dragon asked.

"Ivory believes so, but it's going to be an exhausting job. They weren't damaged by any tools, only with an element, so it's possible, she claims." Tris confirmed.

"Finally good news." Sable stated. "So, could you tell me, how does she look like?"

"She's my equal, but..." Tris interrupted, seeing, where they were. "You'll see for yourself." She opened the door and came in, right behind her was Sable. In the room were, not counting him and Tris, only two medics: Ivory and Crag. At the surgery table, there was laying the wounded dragoness. She indeed seemed to be Tris's equal. The dragoness had pure dark scales. By appearance she was very similar to Cynder, as if she was her younger sister. As the lightning dragon thought about that, he understood everything. He knew, she wasn't seventeen, like Tris, but twenty one, her element wasn't lightning, but wind and her name was...

"Vixen." Sable whispered with disbelief. He stood next to her and grasped her paw with his. He watched her body, all over covered in wounds, deep and shallow, most of them after talons, but her hinder leg was ragged with bites of sharp fangs. Then, he saw Vixen's eyes, opened, so Ivory could heal them. Her vitreous humor was red from blood from broken blood vessels. Her iris, which used to be purely green, now was dark, but thanks for Ivory's powers, gradually started regaining its previous color. Sable felt, his eyes became wet. "How could this happen?" He whispered to himself. He couldn't believe, that anyone could do such a thing to her.

"Like always last... Could you at least help us, or you'll stare like that at her for whole night?" Crag said facetiously and both dragonesses electrified him with sight. Sable didn't even notice whole that happening.

"I'll heal deep wounds at her left side and you at the right, Tris." He said with gloomy voice. Crag, understanding suggestion, decided not to say anything more, but continue putting parts of bones of her hinder leg at right places and healing those. Meanwhile, the fire breather obediently stood oppositely to Sable and they both started healing young black dragoness. All four medics were doing their job in silence, even Crag, who would always joke, realized that he shouldn't say anything. The lightning dragon obviously wasn't in mood for any conversation. This awkward and gloomy silence remained for about one hour. Surprisingly, the one who interrupted it was Sable.

"Thank you, Captain." He said, not stopping healing his best friend for even a second. "Thanks for calling me."

"That's nothing." The white dragoness replied. "We're team, aren't we?"

"Do you think, you can heal her eyes?" He asked, doubtfully. Ivory nodded.

"You should have more faith in me, Sable. Well, I've never healed such...specific injure, but I'm positive about that. Give me several days and her eyes will be completely healed. It's only gentle, electrical burn, a kind of wound I saw hundreds times, even if not on the eyes. By the way, if you need my help with finding the one, who did it to her, just ask." She offered him.

"Yeah, no worries, Sable." Crag joined the conversation. "Anyone made this puzzle so complicated..." He pointed Vixen's leg. "...I'll make sure that your little friend once more will be dexterous enough to..." Then, Tris placed two fingers at his jaws, making him silent. At first, the earth dragon expected to see her electrifying sight, but nothing like that came.

"...As Dante would say, pay him back in his own coin." The fire dragoness finished. Sable smiled slightly and shook his head in disbelief.

"First thing you think about after seeing that she was attacked, is that you'll take your revenge. And you call yourselves medics? The dragons, who are supposed to protect life?" He said with regrets. He wasn't kidding. "You need a psychiatric treatment, all three of you!" He watched angrily his teammates, who were completely dumbstruck. After several seconds, Sable smirked slightly. They sighed with relief, Crag even laughed silently, as they acknowledged that Sable was just joking. Dragons continued their job, now, with much better moods. The lightning dragon watched Vixen. He didn't care, if he would take his vengeance for her suffering, whoever did it to her. All that mattered was that Vixen was finally safe. That she finally returned.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. "Healing"

Viola woke up early and, to her disappointment, she noticed that Sable wasn't at her side. He most likely was still in the hospital. The ice dragoness sighed with disappointment, she hated such situations. She stood up, though she would prefer to sleep again. She walked slowly to her children's room.

"Arriate, Ñeque! Wake up or you'll be late to the academy." She said. Two youngsters groaned sleepily and started standing up reluctantly. Meanwhile, Viola walked down the stairs. She went to the dining room, planning to make breakfast, when she saw that it was already at the table, behind which were sitting Ray and Lyrian. Their kids were with them as well. The lightning elder waved to Viola.

"Good morning." He smiled. "We stood up a little earlier, so we made some breakfast for you."

"Thanks." Viola sat next to Lyrian. "You could stay her for a week or two." She smiled.

"So, Sable's still in hospital, isn't he?" Lyrian asked.

"Looks like." Viola agreed. "Something serious happened, as I guess." Then, Arriate and Ñeque walked down the stairs. "Oh, there you are. Come on, let's eat breakfast and we're going to academy." Two youngsters sat next to her mother and started eating.

"Mom, where's dad?" Ñeque asked.

"He has some work to do in hospital, but I guess, he'll be back soon." Viola assured her son. All six dragons ate the breakfast not hurrying at all, they had much time. As they finished and Arriate and Ñeque were ready to go to the academy, Ray and Lyrian started preparing to leave as well.

"Are you going already?" Viola asked with disappointment. "You've been here for just one day."

"Now we'll go to Tremor and Candice, later to Tris and if everything goes well, we'll visit you again soon, maybe at the next week." Ray explained.

"Oh. That's OK. See you later, then." Viola said. All dragons bided each other and they went in each other's side; Viola with kids to the academy and Ray and Lyrian started looking for Tremor's house. The lightning elder, proud like always, didn't ask Viola about the way and, to her amusement, they chose wrong turn at the very first crossing.

After the ice dragoness accompanied Arriate and Ñeque to their class, she saw Ivory already leaving the academy. Viola called her and the medic turned around and noticed her.

"Hi Viola!" Ivory greeted her loudly. Two ice dragonesses walked to each other and met in the half-way.

"Hi. Is Sable still in hospital?" Viola asked.

"Yes, he is. There's quite a lot to do. Most likely, next two or three days we'll spend hard-working." The white dragoness explained.

"What's going on? It's not often." Viola noticed with worries.

"Yesterday, at the evening, Vixen came to the city. She was in critical state, so we started healing her." Ivory said.

"Vixen? That Vixen?" The azure dragoness couldn't believe that at first. "Can I see her?"

"Not yet, she still looks terribly. But, I think that you should go with me anyway. Someone should persuade Sable to rest a little. The previous night he spent in hospital too, he had duty and after two sleepless nights he deserves for some rest." Ivory told an idea, which had just appeared in her head.

"Yes, that's good idea." Viola agreed."So, when will you heal her?"

"Before week passes, she'll regain consciousness, in a week more she'll be able to fly again."

"Again?" The ice dragoness watched medic with disbelief. "Did they break her wings?" She asked.

"Yes, but only a minor bone, so healing it will take a moment." Ivory agreed. "We don't know who did that." She forestalled the next question. "Let's go to the hospital now."

Viola raised her head and watched the roof of the hospital. Though her mate was working in there, she didn't spend there much time. Sable didn't like when anyone disturbed his job, even his mate. Though she was in there rarely, she knew that building quite well. She knew, where to look for her mate, when there was sudden need. Viola followed Ivory to the surgery room, before which the medic stopped her.

"Wait here for a moment." She said and entered the room, closing door behind herself. Viola looked around and noticed that at bench next to her, there was sleeping Tris. The ice dragoness grinned ominously. She walked to the fire breather and poked her head twice strongly. Very strongly.

"Wake up, Tris." Viola whispered with voice overfilled with cuteness. Sleeping dragoness groaned silently and cracked one of eyes.

"Oh, it's you, Freezer." She noticed with annoyance. "Leave me alone."

"Are you sleeping in the middle of work? Ivory won't be happy." The ice dragoness noticed.

"Oppositely to you, I at least have a job." Tris riposted and giggled silently. Viola was about to say something, when door opened and Sable left at the corridor. He watched his mate with surprise.

"Viola? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"You haven't slept for two nights. Let's go home, you need to sleep for several hours." She suggested.

"I have to heal Vixen." The lightning dragon noticed.

"Crag and Ivory can do that without your help for some time." Viola argued.

"Don't listen to her, Sable..." Tris said with sleepy voice. It looked like she was very vulnerable to somnolence. "She's evil..." The fire dragoness said with voice ordinary for sleeping dragon.

"Just sleep, Tris." Sable said. Tris muttered something in reply and finally fell asleep.

"And there's Tris." Viola noticed. "She can help Ivory and Crag, when you'll be resting."

"I doubt that. I think that now she's..." Sable searched for right word in his mind, while watching sleeping dragoness. "...indisposed." Both he and his mate smiled slightly.

"Anyway, let's go home. You deserve for some rest." Viola suggested. She watched deeply in her mate's eyes. And like always, Sable simply couldn't refuse to her beautiful eyes.

"Fine."

"So, there remained only two of us." Crag smiled to Ivory, as he continued healing Vixen's leg. "How are her eyes?" He asked.

"It's harder to heal them than I thought." The white dragoness smiled as well. "But I think I figured out how to do that. At last. What about her leg?"

"I have serious problem with femur. She'll be limping to the end of her life, that's sure." The earth dragon said with worries.

"What was that book?" Ivory changed the subject of their conversation.

"Which book?" Crag watched her curiously.

"The one which you hid from me. Small and brown, it contains Li in its title." The white dragoness described it.

"It's nothing. It just keeps reminding me about my past." The earth dragon replied. Then, he noticed something at Ivory's paw. He had always thought it's just a scar. But now, some idea appeared in his head. "That red mark at your paw. Is that..."

"Yes, it is sign after using exchange of lifes. The forbidden blood magic." Ivory finished.

"Who saved you?" Crag's voice turned sad rapidly.

"No one. I used it to heal my mate."The white dragoness explained.

"You? How can you be alive then?" The earth dragon asked with disbelief.

"I still don't understand it. Somehow, I managed to give him just enough energy to keep both of us alive." Ivory smiled with nostalgia. "You know, this technique is remarkable. Thanks for it, you can save someone even, if it seems to be impossible. The life power, blood magic, though dangerous, they have great potential to save life." Ivory said, but Crag just snorted contemptuously.

"Remarkable?" He asked with disbelief. "It's the darkest and cruelest technique that ever existed. Lian understood her mistake, that's why she forbad it. If someone is ready to use that technique, it means that you're close to her and most likely, she's close to you as well. And using it, she kills herself. Think how badly feels the one she saved, when you acknowledge that she died instead of you. Though you begged her, shouted at her, she just said that everything would be alright and did that anyway..." Crag interrupted. He cursed silently. He already said too much. Ivory watched him dumbstruck, she didn't know, what to say.

"You were saved by exchange of lifes, weren't you?" Ivory didn't need to ask, she already knew the answer. Crag raised his paw slowly. There could be seen small red sign, exactly this same, as Ivory's.

"I was." Those were the last words that the earth dragon told her that day. The white dragoness really wanted to ask about anything more. But she had no courage to do it.

Three youngsters: Arriate, Flush and Ñeque were walking corridor slowly, when they noticed several about ten-year-old dragons. They easily recognized one of them- the earth dragon, Shade, the one who they escaped last time. Arriate grinned, as in her head appeared some idea.

"No." Ñeque refused, before she even asked. "Not today, please."

"Oh, come on, why not? We escaped them yesterday." The lightning dragoness noticed.

"I want to spend in academy at least one week without need to take my heels." Flush said.

"And besides, they're older and bigger, if we keep doing that so often, they will catch us." Ñeque argued. His sister watched him with disbelief.

"Catch us? No. We'll always escape them." She refused confidently. "Just watch." Before any of her friends managed to react, Arriate already disappeared in crowd of dragons and started walking to Shade. Both males watched her with resignation.

"You know, sometimes I hate your sister." Flush said silently.

"Yes, me too." Ñeque agreed. "We'd better run." He suggested.

"Good idea." Two males turned around and started running. Meanwhile, Arriate stood before the earth dragon.

"Hi, Shade!" She quickly turned around poking his cheek with dull side of her tailblade and started running.

"You little..." Several dragons started running after her. The lightning dragoness giggled silently. She loved annoying them.

Ten minutes later, Ñeque and Flush stopped at middle of some corridor, panting, exhausted with running. They would keep escaping, but they were already too tired and for some time they didn't see their persecutors.

"Did we lose them?" The fire breather asked.

"I think so." The ice dragon said with relief. "I hope that Arriate escaped them as well."

"If they caught her, she'd at least stop provoking them." Flush noticed. Then, they heard someone running to them. They both turned around, ready to escape, when they saw Arriate running to them. She stopped before them and started breathing deeply.

"There you are." She said, smiling. "I was scared if they didn't catch you."

"I hope you've lost them, not just leaded them to us?" Ñeque asked, already having bad feelings.

"Of course, I have." Then, they heard some steps. Arriate looked around the corner. Then, she noticed Shade and his friends and heard them shouting "There they are!" Both males watched the lightning dragoness skeptically.

"Sorry." She apologized. All three of them started running through the crowd of other students.

"We'll talk about this later." Flush said. But youngsters weren't lucky anymore. Oppositely to bullies, they were tired and they couldn't run fast enough to escape. Shade and his friends were getting closer to them every second. He was about to catch Flush's tail, when all three of pursuers rapidly turned left and lost them for several seconds. They turned again and then, good fortune left them permanently. All three of them fell at two adult dragons and collapsed. They were laying on the ground for a moment, when they recognized adult dragons.

"Dad? Master Stella?" Ñeque asked with disbelief.

"There you are, kids. Who are you escaping this time?" Sable asked with note of annoyance.

"No one." Arriate refused quickly. And then, they heard loud bunch of curse words and Shade and his friends ran at the corridor and stopped before youngsters.

"I've got you ,bas..." The earth dragon interrupted, as he noticed that he was staying before Stella.

"So that's your no one, huh?" The lightning guardian asked youngsters. Then, she turned at bullies. "Shade, you and your friends are going with me to my room. We have to talk." Three pursuers hung their heads sadly. "Sable, I'm leaving those kids up to you." Stella said and walked away with bullies. Sable started watching all three youngsters with strict sight.

"So, will you tell me what happened?" The lightning dragon asked. None of youngsters said a word. Sable sighed deeply. "Arriate, do you remember, what I told you last time?"

"You said not to provoke bullies." She muttered.

"Then why did your three do that again?" Her father asked.

"Ñeque and Flush tried to stop me, but I provoked them on my own." Arriate said, a little louder. Sable smiled. He was glad that she decided to protect her friends.

"Why did you do that?" He repeated his question.

"Because it's funny, dad." This time, Ñeque replied. "We like doing that." Sable sighed deeply.

"Listen to me, children." He sat at the floor and hatchlings did this same. "I understand that you like doing such things, but please, you can do anything, except that. Dragons like Shade are much older and stronger than you. If they catch you, they may hurt you. And I don't want you to be hurt. That's why I forbid you doing that, right? For your own goodness." All three youngsters nodded. "Stop doing that, will you?" He asked.

"We will, dad." Arriate said quickly. Her father watched her skeptically.

"We will." Ñeque agreed with her sister confidently.

"We will, Mr. Sable." Flush said. Sable smiled and stood up.

"That's fine. Let's go." He suggested, even though he doubted if they'd keep their word.

"Dad? Please, don't tell mom about that." Arriate pleased. Sable sighed deeply.

"I'm afraid I have to. I'm too good-hearted to you, but someone has to punish you. " He said to great disappointment of his children. Flush smirked to them.

"Why are you grinning? Your mother will hear about that too." Ñeque noticed and smile disappeared from fire breather's face. Sable couldn't help laughing loudly.

The next week passed quickly. Sable spent the most of his time healing Vixen, to both his and Tris's disappointment, they hadn't time to train at all. The black dragoness was getting better and better already, even though she still didn't wake up. Ivory was really curious, what was Crag's mysterious book and who saved him using exchange of lifes. She tried to figure it out hoping that he'd say too much again, but Crag was hiding his secrets far too well from now on. Viola spend much time with Lyrian and Ray, who still were in the city. Everything seemed to presage a good future for all dragons. And then, Vixen woke up.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. "Begging"

It was already evening and rests of sunshine were desperately trying to appear above the horizon when Sable and Viola were sitting at the stairs before their house. At the street, there were ten, maybe fifteen hatchlings, including Arriate and Ñeque, who were playing some games. All of them kept running everywhere and laughing. Parents watched their children with blissful smiles at their faces and cuddling each other. For them, moments like those could last forever.

"Today, guardians asked me, if didn't I want to work as envoy between northern wyverns and dragons." Viola started conversation.

"Where would they send you?" Sable asked curiously.

"Anywhere, depending on situation. But tribe where you were born is out of the question. We have practically no contact with them for last fifteen years." The ice dragoness said and her mate sighed with relief hearing that.

"So, what would be your job like?" He continued questions.

"I'd be always in the move. Often in wyverns' tribes, sometimes in house, but just for a moment... I rejected it right when I heard that. I can help them here, but I'm not moving out. All I want now, is just to live in Warfang with my family." Viola explained.

"It was your greatest dream, wasn't it?" Sable asked, as he nuzzled her. "To become the elder of your home city or an envoy."

"Yes, it used to be." The ice dragoness agreed and kissed her mate. "But you helped me realize how wrongful my choice was." She smiled slightly. "After all, how would I be able to look after peace between races if I didn't know how is it like to look after my own family?" She noticed. Sable just shrugged in reply.

"You know, the more we speak about stuff like that, the more I have feeling that I've brutally closed the door to some stage of your life." He said with sad voice.

"Don't even think like that. You didn't close it, but opened another one and let me choose. So did I." Viola refused. Then, she yawned deeply. She jerked her head at west. It was already getting dark, she couldn't barely see the sun above the buildings.

"Are you satisfied about your choice?" Sable asked, smiling slightly.

"Definitely yes." Viola licked his cheek and cuddled him a little stronger. They were sitting in silence like that for several minutes more. Then, from behind the corner appeared Ivory. She stood before Sable and Viola when she realized that she chose bad moment to come. She wanted to turn back, but she knew it was already too late.

"D...do I interrupt you?" She asked stumbling a little and blushing softly.

"Are you blushing, Captain?" Sable asked.

"No." The white dragoness refused and blushed a little more intensively. All Ivory's friends knew that she blushed very rarely, as some medic said, there could be heard legends that many years before, her cheeks turned red once or twice. That's why several dragons working in the hospital bet who would make her blush first. And it looked like Sable accidentally won.

"You are blushing." The lightning dragon argued, enjoying every word. Ivory sighed deeply.

"Fine, you won. I'm blushing." She agreed, though very reluctantly. "We need to talk." Ivory said, this time very seriously.

"What is it?" Sable asked, even if he already guessed.

"Vixen will wake up this evening." The white dragoness said.

"Ok, we'll put kids to their beds and we're going to the hospital." The lightning dragon declared. Ivory nodded and walked away. Two dragons were sitting in silence.

"Are you ready? You haven't seen her for years." Viola asked.

"I can't be ready any more." Sable replied, whispering.

Vixen was flying in the clouds, diving and gliding in never-ending sky. She giggled as she was flying for several seconds right next a couple of eagles. She realized that she was sleeping long ago. But she didn't care, she kept flying, not wondering when would she wake up. She didn't want to open her eyes, somewhere in the middle of forest, which her blind eyes couldn't even see. She was a wind dragon and she didn't want to go back to reality, where her broken wings deprived her the hope to reach the sky again. She wanted to keep flying with birds, who wouldn't leave her ever. Until she'd keep dreaming. And then, her vision blurred. She understood that she was waking up.

"No! I want to stay here!" She shouted in her mind, though she knew it was pointless. And then, there came darkness. She opened her eyes. "Eyes?" She asked herself. "Am I dreaming again?" But she wasn't outside anymore, there was white ceiling above her. She raised her head and looked around. There were staying several dragons before her, all of them smiling with relief. She knew those faces. That were Ivory, Tris, Viola, there were also two earth dragons who she didn't recognize, but she could swear she had already seen one of them. There was also a bipedal lightning dragon. He seemed to be somehow familiar to her. And then, she recognized who that was.

"Sable!" Vixen rapidly jumped to Sable and cuddled him. "Sable..." She whispered. "Is that a dream?" The lightning dragon grinned.

"I really doubt that." He replied. A single tear left Vixen's eye.

"But I can see..." Black dragoness whispered with disbelief.

"Thank Captain Ivory for that." Sable explained. "I have no idea how she did it, but she healed your eyes." Vixen looked around. Ivory smiled slightly.

"Those were only damaged with the lightning, no physical damage, so I could help it. But still, we'll need to work on those a little more. Soon, we'll heal you. Of course, the scars will remain, but soon, you'll be able to return into the air." The white dragoness said.

"Looks like this isn't dream." She said to herself."So, who are my saviors?" She asked, turning at two earth dragons, who she still didn't know. Or at least she pretended he didn't know any of them.

"Lady, my name simple, Dante it is. I found you in forest, together with my beloved Tris." Dante bowed before black dragoness, who giggled silently, as she noticed rhyme.

"I'm Crag. I, Ivory, Sable and Tris are medical team who healed you." The second earth dragon introduced himself in much more simple way.

"Well, Tris, Ivory, looks like your two saved me again, didn't you?" Vixen noticed. Both medics laughed silently.

"Looks like." Tris agreed.

"Where are we, by the way? I don't recognize this place." The black dragoness asked.

"Welcome to Warfang. It's good that you're back." Sable said, as he wiped tear out from corner of his eye.

"Well, Sable, there's something that I have to tell you." Vixen said with note of sadness. Her voice became very serious. "You see, before I traveled to of Warfang, I was at the north. Deeply in the lands of wyverns. I spent two years in Celeste Tribu, the place where you were born. I was a guest in there. And from Celeste, I bring you a message. From Verdad."

"Verdad?" Sable whispered with disbelief. There could be heard a hint of pure hatred. The small black dragoness looked as if she regretted mentioning that name.

"Who is he?" Ivory asked.

"Verdad, son of Joven, Señor de la Celeste Tribu, which means king or Celeste Tribu. Also leader of Grande Guiverno Allianza del Norte Tierra; Great Wyvern Alliance of Northern Lands,. But I don't like calling him with all those sophisticated titles, I prefer to use other words. My father's brother. Murderer of my parents." All dragons, not counting Vixen and Viola who already knew that, watched Sable with surprise and worries. It wasn't this same joyful and charming lightning dragon, as just a moment earlier. His sign of the past, soul of Vengantimo was slowly awakening within him.

"Did Verdad do that to you?" Sable asked the black dragoness slowly with voice filled with hatred.

"No, I was attacked when I was coming back to dragon cities. Some dark creatures caught me, but I managed to escape them somehow." Vixen refused. "Sable, Verdad begs you for help." Then, Crag snorted scornfully.

"He has a nerve to do that. At first, he murdered your family and now he begs for help. And wyverns keep claiming that we are the arrogant kind." The earth dragon said filling his voice with despise.

"What does he want?" Sable asked slowly.

"There happened some pandemic in Celeste Tribu and they can't find a cure for it." Vixen said. "In such situation, it's obvious that they won't ask other tribes for help, because those would seize the opportunity to get more influential. They have to ask dragons for help and only dragon who they will trust is..."

"...a banished prince from their tribe who luckily is a medic." Sable finished.

"Exactly." Vixen agreed.

"So, you'll stay here and listen to the news how great Verdad will be falling, won't you?" Crag grinned, as he thought about taking such revenge by Sable. Viola sighed deeply and shook her head. She already knew his answer.

"No, I will help them." Sable decided.

"What?!" Crag asked with disbelief. "He killed your family! Will you really help him?!" The earth dragon shouted.

"Vengeance is not the solution. Not in this situation" Sable said slowly and firmly.

"It is your words! For what he had done to you, he shall be punished!" Crag riposted.

"It's a wrong way to punish him. Verdad is unyielding and stubborn. If I say no, he won't ask other tribes for help. I doubt, if Verdad or anyone from his family fell ill and even if they did, he'd ask other tribes for cure just for one family member, it would be treated most likely like a gift. If I don't help them, Verdad may fall, which is doubtful, but certain is that hundreds of innocent wyverns will die."

"Oh..." Crag had to admit that Sable hit a point. "When you speak about this in that way..." He stopped for a while, uncertain what to say. "It's hard not to agree."

"What's your plan, Sable?" Tris asked."When are we going?"

"Vixen, do you believe it's safe for me to go there? Verdad still may seek for my death. You have been in there for long, you must know the situation." Sable asked the black dragoness. She nodded slightly.

"It is safe, Verdad has changed at this point. Otherwise, I wouldn't even mention it." Vixen assured.

"So be it. I'll go to there with Vixen." The lightning dragon decided and all gathered watched him surprised.

"What?" Viola asked with voice demanding answer.

"This is only my problem, I won't involve you into that. Only reason I take Vixen is that since she's their envoy, I have to take her with me so I can be trusted." Sable explained.

"This is not only your problem." Viola refused. Her mate wanted to say something, but she interrupted him. "I'll not leave your side. There's no way I could do that." The ice dragoness looked deeply into Sable's eyes and he knew that she was right. He just nodded slightly not arguing anymore.

"We're going with you as well." Ivory decided. "If you want to fight pandemic, you'll need several experienced medics." The white dragoness noticed.

"Oh dear. I should have predicted that it would end up like that." Sable sighed deeply. He knew he couldn't persuade them. "Looks like our six is going to Celeste Tribu, am I wrong?"

"Only five of you will head to there." All dragons turned at Dante who remained silent for quite long already. "Tris is not leaving anywhere."

"Can you stop rhyming and explain what is that supposed to mean?" Sable asked with note of annoyance. He never liked whole that Dante's manner.

"Yes, I'd love to hear that." Tris agreed with note of annoyance.

"Tris, you're not in state to..."

"What do you know about my state?!" The fire dragoness interrupted him, shouting. "I know what's my state much better than you!"

"Listen to me..."

"No, you listen to me!" She kept shouting. "The fact that I'm pregnant doesn't change a thing!" She argued. In that moment she realized that she said something that she meant to keep unrevealed.

"Congratulations. Which month?" Ivory asked warmly in the awkward silence.

"The first month has just passed." Tris replied and turned to her mate. "Dante..." Her voice was already much calmer than moment earlier. "This is going to be a journey of my life. Far away to the north. It's the place where I may never have opportunity to be again. And I'm not going to miss it." She kissed her mate. "Don't worry, nothing will happen to me."

"Whatever." Dante just shrugged helplessly. "It's time to spread our wings and fly where feelings guide us." He agreed. "But I'm going with you." He added after several seconds.

"That makes seven of us." Vixen noticed. "When are we leaving?"

"In the next week. It's time we need to heal you completely and prepare for journey. There are several things that have to be done, such as asking guardians for permission." Sable explained.

"And until then this place is going to be my room, huh?" The black dragoness asked sadly.

"Looks like." Viola grinned to the little dragoness.

Seven dragons spent next two hours talking about everything that happened since last battle of Venganza and dragons in the eastern city. There were quite a lot of things, so no one even noticed when it was already midnight. First one to leave was Crag, about half an hour later Dante and Tris left as well. The last three dragons spent with Vixen one hour more when they all decided that all of them was already to sleepy for conversations and there still was tomorrow. Viola, Sable and Ivory stood before main entrance to the hospital when they stopped. Outside, there was heavy rain.

"Sweet. Looks like we're stuck in here." Viola noticed.

"Unless you want to take a shower." Sable agreed.

"I think I'm not stuck." The white dragoness joined the conversation. It took her just a second to create above herself a great shield of magical energy beneath which could hide at least five dragons.

"That's not fair." The lightning dragon whispered.

"I can accompany you to your house if you want." Ivory suggested.

"That's kind of you. Let's go." Viola thanked. Sable was the first one to leave hospital. And then, magical umbrella right above him disappeared. It appeared back after just a second, but it was just enough to soak Sable completely. The lightning dragon hissed silently, turned his head and watched resentfully both dragonesses who were laughing loudly.

"That's for making me blush." Ivory explained, as she walked next to him. "Come on, you don't want to get wet again, do you?" The white dragoness asked. Viola, still laughing, walked next to her mate. Dragons were going across the city in silence. Well, almost silence. When Viola had kept laughing for a minute already that was getting annoying for Sable. And then, he simply pushed his mate away from beneath the shield so the heavy rain started falling at her. Viola stood still and watched him with surprise and indignation.

"Is that so funny now?" The lightning dragon grinned to his mate. Viola shook her head with disbelief. Then, she suddenly jumped to him. She surprised her mate and knocked him over. Two of them rolled in the place where rain started falling at them again. As they stopped, Sable was lying on Viola, grinning. Then, they started kissing. Ivory rolled her eyes.

"Come on, could you don't do that at the street? Someone may be watching you." She noticed. Two lovers just ignored her. "Hey, I'm serious, you may catch cold... or something ." The white dragoness repeated herself. The couple sighed deeply and stood up reluctantly. They walked slowly to Ivory.

"We just kissed and hugged. There's nothing wrong about it." Viola noticed, as she and Sable stood at her side.

"Of course, there wasn't." Ivory agreed sarcastically. In such moments, she felt so… envy. "Anyway, how was your shower?" She asked, half-jokingly.

"And how was yours, Captain?" Sable replied with a question.

"What? I didn't..." Before Ivory realized what he meant, Sable and Viola pushed the white dragoness far away, so heavy rain started falling at her. She slipped and collapsed and two mates laughed aloud.

"So, how is it, Captain?" The lightning dragon repeated himself. Ivory walked slowly back under the magical shield.

"Cold." She replied tersely to her friends' amusement. Dragons continued walking and after about ten minutes they reached Sable and Viola's house. Ivory parted with them there and headed to her home. After fifteen minutes more the white dragoness, completely wet, walked into her house. The first thing she did was finding towel and drying herself up. She walked to her room and was about to fall asleep when she decided to go to Flush and see if the heavy rain didn't wake him up. When she walked to his room, she noticed that he wasn't in his bed. Ivory's eyes grew wide.

"Where is he?" She asked herself. The last time she saw him, he was sleeping in his bed. Her heart rate immediately spiked, in her head started appearing the worst case scenarios. She quickly ran down the stairs, she was about to leave house, when she looked out the window in kitchen and saw Flush. He was standing at the grass behind the house, in the heavy rain. Ivory left building with back door and walked him.

"Flush, what are you..." She wanted to ask with voice full of worries when she stopped. She realized that not even drip of water was falling at him. Above the young fire breather, there was floating a magical shield, similar to the one, which his mother created a moment earlier, but much smaller.

"I couldn't sleep, mom, so I wanted to train my magic." Flush explained himself.

"You're quite good. When I was your age I couldn't create shield enough for even my head." The white dragoness admitted. She stepped forward, but didn't noticed the moment when she pressed against the shield with her chest. Magical barrier didn't withstand the pressure, wasted whole Flush's magical power and disappeared. Flush, who rapidly lost great, as for him, amount of energy would fall on the ground, if Ivory didn't catch him in time.

"I think it's time to teach you how to use magic." Ivory said.

"Will you do that?" Flush asked with excitement, even if his voice sounded terribly weak.

"Yes, such a talent needs teacher." The white dragoness smiled warmly.

"When will we start?" The young fire breather asked curiously. He couldn't wait for his first lesson.

"Tomorrow." Ivory promised. "Now, let's go sleeping. You need to be rested, if you want to use magic." The youngster nodded and ran to the house enthusiastically. Ivory followed him smiling slightly. She wanted to teach her son all her abilities so he would never fail those who he loved. She didn't want him to repeat her failures and she'd do everything to achieve that.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. "Paintings"

The next morning, Ivory woke up very reluctantly, though, as she quickly realized, she overslept a little. The white dragoness dragged her body from her bed, slowly stood up and, while yawning deeply, stretched up slowly. Then, she walked to Flush's room and woke him up. The young fire breather was very sleepy, which wasn't surprising since he and his mother had slept for only five, maybe six hours. Ivory walked to the kitchen and made breakfast for both of them. Ten minutes later, she came back to her son's room and woke him up again. Both of them walked down to the kitchen and ate breakfast sluggishly. After about half an hour, they left house and headed in direction of academy.

"It's last time we're going to bed so late, understood?" Ivory told her son, as she yawned deeply.

"Yes. Will you start teaching me magic today?" Flush asked with excited voice.

"Of course I will. I promised. Just come back from academy and we can start whenever you want."

"Cool!" Flush grinned. "I'll have to show it to Arriate and Ñeque..."

"Hey, stop there." Ivory admonished him. "I don't teach you magic so you could splurge. You won't show it to anyone."

"But mom..." The fire breather watched her with puppy eyes. Ivory sighed deeply.

"Only Arriate and Ñeque, but no one else." She agreed reluctantly. "And you won't use it unless it's necessary and especially not in the academy." She added seriously.

"But yesterday, you used it just to protect yourself from rain." Flush noticed.

"I use magic for years so I know when to stop and still, I use it rarely. Before I allow you to do this same, whole years will pass." Ivory explained. The youngster sighed with disappointment. "Flush, magic is great responsibility. You have to use it wisely and carefully." His mother said.

"Like fire?" Flush guessed.

"Yes. Like your fire. But this gift is more dangerous, more special, use it only when you're in a great danger."

"Only then?" The fire dragon asked with disappointment.

"Well, I think there's one exception." Ivory said after moment of silence. "Not counting training, of course."

"What is it?" Flush watched his mother hopefully.

"Love. All's fair in love in war, after all." She answered. Flush watched his mother dumbstruck.

"But mom, what does love have to do with magic?" He asked.

"You'll understand with time." Ivory smiled slightly. Two dragons entered academy. "It's time for you." Ivory said as they reached door to Flush'sclass.

"See you, mom!" Flush kissed his mother's cheek.

"Bye." The white dragoness whispered and watched her son entering the class. She turned around and was about to leave when she heard familiar voice.

"Ivory! Ivory, wait!" The white dragoness felt creeps across her body. That was him. She turned around and tried to smile.

"Tremor! Good to see you!" She greeted him. At that moment, the earth guardian stood before her.

"Hi, Ivory. We didn't talk for a while, did we?" Tremor smiled in silly, characteristic for him way. "I can even say that it feels as if you were avoiding me for last year."

"What?! No!" Ivory refused quickly. "What are you talking about? You know that you're my favorite earth dragon." The white dragoness argued, but Tremor watched her skeptically.

"Am I?" He asked.

"Of course you are! All that happened to me in Teria five years ago I owe only to you." Ivory argued. "It's just I never have time. Being the director of hospital is not a bed of roses." She explained herself, hanging her head shamefully. Because of her job, she'd neglected friendship with at least several dragons.

"I see..." Tremor still didn't believe her. "Do you have time today?" He asked.

"Yes. After three months already, I think it's the very first completely free day for me." Ivory agreed.

"Then how about you pay us a visit at the evening?" The earth guardian suggested.

"What a wonderful idea!" Ivory agreed. She simply couldn't refuse. "So, when?"

"After the afternoon, whenever you want. We'll be in house." Tremor said.

"Ok, I'll come as fast as I can. By the way, Tremor, can I ask you for a favor?" The white dragoness asked.

"Of course." Tremor watched her curiously. "What is it?"

"You see, I've just heard that I'll have to leave Warfang for quite long soon. Maybe next week, maybe a little later. I can't take Flush with myself so could he live in your house until I'm back?"

"Where are you going?" Tremor asked curiously.

"It's long story. Anyway, could you do that? I warn, I'll be out for very long so..."

"There's no problem. Maybe Sierra and Tundra will start kissing someone else than Zap." The earth guardian said with hope and grinned. "I'd love to see that."

"I think I'll learn Flush some defensive magic. For his own good." Ivory decided. Both dragons laughed aloud.

"Well, I think I should go. I'm already late for the lesson." Tremor noticed.

"I don't stop you. See you!"

"See you!" Two dragons went in their own directions. Ivory was very glad that she met Tremor, she hadn't seen him for a long time. She promised herself in mind that she would visit the earth guardian more often from that point. But realization of this plan had to wait until she'd return from Celeste Tribu. She really regretted that, but she already decided about leaving so there was no way to change that. Unless...

Ivory stopped in the middle of the street. She realized that she was already half a kilometer from academy and still she didn't know where she was going. She didn't know where to go. Surprisingly, she had nothing to do in hospital and all her friends were most likely busy. At first, she wanted to go back to home and have nap, but she quickly rejected that idea. Then, in her head appeared idea of paying a visit to Crag. He had a free day so she guessed that he'd be in home. The white dragoness turned back and walked in direction of Crag's house.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Ivory asked and knocked once more, but she heard no reply. She gently pushed door. It appeared to be opened. The ice dragoness stopped, as her curiosity started fighting with her courtesy. She guessed that no one was there. She really wanted to get in, but on the other hand, she would prefer not to break into her friend's house.

"I'll just come in there and wait for him." Her curiosity promised herself not even trying to keep that promise.

"What am I talking? I won't just sit there, but look through his stuff to find his notebook, if I enter." The other voice, heart, noticed warning her.

"I won't." Curiosity quickly lied through her teeth. "Fine, I will." Ivory agreed after several seconds. "I'll wait for him outside." She decided. She spent several minutes sitting before the door, but no one came. Then she started doubting.

"He will never show me that book." The voice of curiosity told her.

"But I shouldn't do that. If he knew about it, he'd stop trusting me." Her heart riposted.

"Something bothers Crag. If I read that book, I'll be able to help him deal with that." Curiosity persuaded, trying to play high-minded to achieve her goal.

"Fine." Heart finally gave in, though it knew that Ivory was just lying herself. She wanted to help, but still, the main reason was her curiosity. As soon as its voice won, Ivory entered Crag's house. It was really small, just enough for one dragon. At a glance she could state that a male lived in there. It obviously needed female's touch. At the table, there were laying dirty plates and cups, next to them was a big plate with at least ten apples which around were flying flies. Some of those fruits were already rotten a little. Ivory shook her head with disappointment, she quickly threw them away. She walked into Crag's room. It was great mess as well, but it was much more interesting. Everywhere were laying painter's accessories: paints, paintbrushes, lots of canvas, some of them clear and at others, there were already painted pictures. The most of them were finished, but not all. Ivory watched a painting at Crag's desk.

"Wow." She whispered. She glared at setting sun right above the line of sea. It was so real that she couldn't believe it was just a picture. She watched carefully seagulls flying in direction of sun. In her imagination, she could hear silent beating of their wings and sounds of the sea. After a moment,she managed to turn around and watched bed. There was laying very big painting, the biggest of all, most likely. It was covering whole the bed- it was much bigger, to be precise. Crag painted there a small dragon village, Ivory guessed that there could live one hundred dragons, maybe two. It was very simple, there was just one, main street at which there were all buildings. It was very detailed, at the foreground Ivory could see so many things. Several hatchlings were running somewhere, one of them had just slipped and fell in puddle of mud, the others laughed with amusement. A little higher there could be seen two males at age about of fifteen who were friendly sparring. Beneath them were several other dragons, watching them. Next to them, at a wooden veranda of the first house, there were sitting several old dragons, conversing. There were also many other details, like two old dragonesses walking slowly, some youngster stretching up, if Ivory tried to count them all, she would need a lot of time. Then, she noticed something in the center of the background. There was a small wooden house, ordinary, just like the others. But before it, there was staying some white dragoness. She was the only dragon who watched directly at the viewer. Dark blue eyes of mysterious dragoness were very sad, longing for something, maybe awaiting someone. Someone who, as Ivory guessed, would never come back. Something told Ivory that this dragoness was real, that she lived somewhere in a small village like this.

"Who are you?" Ivory whispered. It definitely wasn't Ivory, painted at that picture, even if she was somehow familiar. Though her scales had this same color, she looked different, she was higher and more majestic, her eyes, though blue, were much darker and horns had different shape. It must have been a living person, not just painter's imagination. But who? Ivory jerked her head at left and watched stuff lying at shelf next to bed. Maybe she would find an answer there. But there was nothing surprising, only lots of book about medicine and painting. And then, Ivory noticed a small casket. It was made of light wood and at its top there were several beautiful emeralds. Ivory easily recognized that those were made by Dusty. They had characteristic, almost oval shape. Ivory guessed that it was the reason why Crag had asked her about Dusty several years earlier. The white dragoness took a casket. She slowly opened it and saw something white. At first, she expected it to be small little painting, sketch, maybe some gem, but... but not that. It was a part of shell of dragon's egg. It was almost white, there was just a small green stripe on it. But it was covered in blood. Dragon blood. She heard stories that feral dragons and some of the ones living in small villages would keep part of their shell as some talisman, but Ivory didn't believe that was the reason. Crag's egg should be green. Besides, he was clever, he wouldn't believe in such superstition. And why would it be bloody?

"You had to do that." Ivory heard male voice behind herself. It scared her so much that she barely managed not to drop the casket. "You had to keep looking for my past." The ice dragoness turned around and saw Crag. All his scales erected in hateful gesture. He was angry. Or rather mad. At least. Ivory could swear that he'd attack her any second. There was something so evil, so hostile about him... She involuntarily prepared to block a blow aimed at her throat. "Leave. Now." He ordered. Ivory nodded slightly. Fear overwhelmed her. She closed casket and put it back at shelf. The white dragoness turned back and walked to the door not even glancing at the earth dragon. She was about to leave when she stopped.

"You don't like tidying your home, do you?" Ivory asked. "In your previous house, there obviously was someone who would clean it." The ice dragoness cursed in her mind. She had no idea why she told him that. She was sure that she'd have to leave this house fast. Very fast.

"What do you imply?" Crag asked angrily. His heart rate spiked, as he heard "previous house".

"Can I be that person now? I could help you cleaning this mess." Ivory pleased. Some voice in back of her mind noticed that the leaving door was really beautiful one, intensively brown. It was pity that she wouldn't make it even to this door. He'd kill her any second. She could see it in his eyes.

"To look for more clues about me?" The earth dragon asked with harsh voice.

"No." Ivory refused honestly. "I promise. I just want to help." All she wanted was her friend's forgiveness. She knew she had done a terrible mistake. Crag walked right to her and looked deeply into her eyes. His sight was strict and cold. It wasn't a sight of medic, but rather a dragon who had killed many beings. There was something so sinister hidden within those. Ivory couldn't find a reason why couldn't she be his next victim. She barely stopped her body from shaking. They were glaring at each other for about half a minute, which to Ivory, seemed to be eternity. Then, Crag stood back. He sighed deeply.

"It's not easy to recognize when you tell truth. Where shall we start?" He asked with completely changed voice, quite warm. Ivory smiled with hidden relief. He changed so rapidly that now, thought that he would be able to do harm to her seemed to be ridiculous.

"How about your room?" The white dragoness suggested. "If there's something you don't want to show me, just hide it and tell me where it is so I won't find it accidentally..."

"But on purpose." Crag finished skeptically.

"No, I swear, I won't!" Ivory refused quickly, hoping that he'd believe. Then, earth dragon laughed silently.

"I'm just kidding you." He said. "All that should be hidden is already hidden so no worries, you won't find it. So, where shall we start?" Crag repeated his question.

"Let's tidy all those tools at first." The white dragoness decided. "And paintings, we don't want paintings to be damaged. By the way, you make such beautiful paintings..." Ivory stopped for a moment, watching painting lying at the floor before her. "You should hang some of them at wall, for example this one at bed would look perfect at that wall." Ivory pointed the wall at right side of bed. "And this one would be good here... Dear ancestors, you have to paint me sunset someday, it's so..."

"Do you want it?" Crag showed Ivory quite big painting of setting sun, which she had been watching earlier. "It's the best sun I painted."

"Are you giving it to me?" Ivory asked with disbelief.

"Don't tell me that you're working for free." Crag replied half-jokingly. The ice dragoness smiled thankfully.

"Thanks. I'll leave it in kitchen so I won't forget about it. Anyway, could you put those..." Crag and Ivory started tidying small house. But the white dragoness still couldn't release herself from some disturbing thoughts. Somewhere in the bottom of her heart, she knew that Crag wasn't just a medic from far, far away. He had some terrible secret. But what was it? What was that village from painting? Who was that white dragoness? Who did that shell belong to? Ivory shook her head. She was really glad that they were tiding the house. Somehow, she managed to save her good relationship with Crag. She promised herself not to ask him about his past anymore, she knew it wouldn't cause anything good. She decided to let it go, even if she didn't believe that Crag did that.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8. "Guardians"

At the afternoon, Sable and Viola walked into the building of guardians. It was one of the biggest buildings in the city, only comparable ones were academy, hospital and library. It was quite crowded in there, but no dragon waited for audience, the time for them was just about to begin. They stopped before the guard. It was a fire dragoness Elena, their neighbor.

"Hello, Sable, Viola." She greeted them cheerfully.

"Hi, Elena." The lightning dragon smiled to her. "I thought that you work in the city, not here." He noticed.

"Didn't I tell you? I've been promoted. This is my second day here." The fire dragoness explained.

"Congratulations." Viola said. "So, how is it in here?" She asked curiously.

"Very peacefully, nothing happens here, really. Kind of boring, to be honest, no one to talk with... If that's how elite position looks, then I swear I'll spend here week more and go back to patrolling the town. But I like listening to guardians' conversations. Tremor is very funny dragon, you know?"

"I can't refuse that." The ice dragoness said to herself.

"Tandy told me that Arriate and Ñeque are finally coming to academy on time." The fire dragoness smiled lightly. "How did you do that?" Tandy was Elena's daughter, she was in this same class as Arriate, Ñeque and Flush. That was one of the reasons why Elena and Sable's families knew each other very well. Elena and her mate, Flint, the fire breather as well, came to Warfang from Dragon Shores, one of villages near the Great Sea, hundreds kilometers at the west from Warfang.

"Well, it wasn't very hard, you know..." Sable lied. He had lots of problems with that.

"Won't you consider joining the city guard once more?" The fire dragoness asked.

"No use." Viola warned her.

"Indeed. I really like being medic." The lightning dragon explained. "I'm good at saving life."

"But Sable, with your skills you'd be promoted so quickly... And besides it's the best job in the world! Wonderful atmosphere, amazing people, lots of laugh..." Elena stopped speaking. "And other intensive emotions." She added.

"It's hard to forget, isn't it?" Viola asked.

"Yes, that kidnapper five years ago... That was my first month as guard. The city was in panic when in three days from academy disappeared four white youngsters. No sings, just small sheets of papers with the names of kidnapped lying on the floor." Elena asked. She felt creeps across her body.

"The city was paralyzed by fear, many youngsters didn't leave their houses, dozens of guards in the academy, at streets, even in the hospital. We didn't leave kids alone for even a second." Sable recalled. "That was the first test for both guards and guardians."

"Before we managed to catch him, six other hatchlings disappeared. Luckily, we found all kidnapped dragons safe and sound after two weeks. And the kidnapper." Elena said.

"And now, he's in jail with life sentence. To be honest, that was the strictest punishment for kidnapping I've ever heard about." Viola noticed. "Nothing happened to anyone, right?"

"But he deserved it with no doubts." Elena said. "Someone like him should never leave jail. Never." The fire dragoness whispered. Whole that kidnapping was very mysterious and there were lots of secrets known to only guardians and some guards, like Elena who caught the kidnapper. There was something dark in that case, so neither Sable nor Viola argued.

"Wow, that was gloomy." Sable noticed and all three smiled.

"You're coming here for an audience?" The fire breather asked.

"Yes, we need to ask about something. Can we come in already?" Viola asked.

"Not yet, guardian Stella's still not..."

"Speaking of me?" The lightning guardian asked as she stood between Sable and Viola. "Hi, everyone."

"Hi, Stella." Sable and Viola greeted her simultaneously. Then, Elena stood at attention and saluted Stella in very official way.

"Good afternoon, guardian Stella." She said officially. The lightning dragoness sighed deeply.

"I know you for years, Elena, you can call me by name. And other guardians won't mind as well, trust me." Stella explained and guard smiled slightly.

"I'm afraid, I can't, guardian Stella. I've already been scolded by my captain for, I quote, insolent treating and belittling the majesty of dragon guardians with my obscene way of speaking." She declaimed, smiling slightly with irony. She couldn't figure out what was so obscene in calling her friend by name.

"Your captain is that old, grouchy ice dragon who keeps telling ''in my times'', right? Lloyd, isn't he?" Stella sighed deeply as fire dragoness nodded. "I understand that the respect is important, but he should know his place." She said to herself. "Call me and other guardians by name." Stella pleased. "And I'm going to scold your captain for…" Stella considered that for a moment. "Ignoring orders of dragon guardians, belittling their importance in the city and insolently insulting them for his private satisfaction."The lightning guardian smiled. "I think that will be perfect."

"No doubts about that." Sable agreed, barely stopping himself from laughing aloud. "Better note it, it would be pity to forget it." He suggested.

"Thanks a lot, Stella." Elena didn't even try to stop herself.

"All the pleasure is mine." The lightning guardian said. Then, she turned to Sable and Viola. "What brings you here? Is that something about Vixen?"

"Yes, she woke up. And we need to talk about something more than just formalities." Viola explained and lightning guardian watched her curiously.

"Come on, then, and tell what's on your mind."Stella walked inside the room of elders and two dragons followed her. "Sable and Viola came here asking for audience." She told guardians and sat next to them. Two dragons stopped several meters before them. All four guardians were there, right behind them were sitting four elders. Those were old and experienced dragons whose duty was to help the young guardians and explain them all points of view, but they couldn't make any decisions; they only advised. Sable watched carefully all four elders and tried to recall their names.

The first one, sitting behind Stella, was the lightning dragoness Tifa. She was really soft-hearted, Sable couldn't say anything bad about her. She was a widow. In time of war, she, together with her son travelled across lands looking for orphans who she would leave in cities or rise, if there was no place for them anywhere. In fact, there was no dragon village or town where she wouldn't hear "Hi, aunt!" She had lost half of right hinder leg and ending of the tail. She got those wounds when she met Cynder. Tifa was probably the only dragoness who managed to wound Cynder seriously, she would always explain that will to protect hatchlings gave her strength to do that.

Next to her, behind Tremor, there was sitting Gaillard, a dragon of earth. The youngest of elders, specialized in battle strategy. Despite that, he was a trifler just like Tremor or maybe even more. Careless, very positive about life, it was very hard to dislike him. The more Sable watched him and Tremor, the more he was sure that those two were relatives. The news that Gaillard was Tremor's grandfather wouldn't surprise him at all, even if the elder came from the very south. Though that, he could be both very serious and strict when it came to serious situations.

The third elder, the one sitting behind Flame, was Asher. Sable hated him from the bottom of his heart. He was very wise and even more cynic. Not speaking of his racism. He hated especially wyverns and treated Sable like one of them. His pride used to be very characteristic for dragons who lived before the great war, lacking any humility. Asher from the bottom of heart believed that dragons were the greatest creatures of this world and other races were nothing compared to them. Other elders and guardians would keep admonishing him for that, but he didn't change his behavior. Sable had no idea how Asher became elder and he didn't even want to know.

The fourth elder, an ice dragon, was definitely the oldest one. His name was Albion. He was very mysterious, no one knew his history or even age, all they knew was that he would never be wrong. He spoke very rarely, only if the situation was critical and guardians had hard choice or didn't know what to do. Sable heard that he spoke only once or twice for last five year. Even if mysterious, Albion was entrusted by all dragons. In time of war he saved thousands of beings in many battles with his genius plans, not only by brilliant strategy, but also tricky escapes, avoiding ambushes or making ones.

Those four were known as elders of Warfang, chosen five years earlier by guardians and elders of the other cities.

"Is Vixen already awake?" Tremor asked, not waiting for Sable to start.

"Yes, she woke up yesterday at the evening." The lightning dragon agreed. "You can visit her any moment, she's very bored in the hospital."

"Good news. Spyro and Cynder will be very happy to hear that." The earth guardian said.

"But I'm afraid that soon, we'll have to leave the city." Viola joined the conversation.

"What's the reason?" Flame watched the ice dragoness curiously.

"Before Vixen came to Warfang, she didn't do nothing. She spent several months in Celeste Tribu." The azure dragoness started.

"Wasn't Sable banished from that Tribe sixteen years ago?" Stella noticed.

"Yes, I was." The lightning dragon agreed.

"Vixen spent there quite long time as an envoy." Viola continued. "Wyverns sent her here with asking for help with pandemic. They can't find cure for it and hundreds or even thousands wyverns may die. They asked Sable personally, but we decided that we'd go with him."

"By 'we', you mean just yourself and Vixen or anyone else?" Candice asked.

"Captain..." Sable started enumerating. Guardians understood who he meant, they knew him personally, but elders sent him asking sights.

"Ivory." Sable explained." Tris and Crag, decided to go too. Those are dragons from my medical team. There's also Dante, Tris's mate."

"Just seven dragons, four medics." Candice counted. "Is that enough to deal with pandemic?" She noticed with note of disbelief.

"All that wyverns lack is antidote, with help of their medics this pandemic won't be problem." Viola assured.

"Do you even know what disease is that?" This time, Stella asked.

"No, not yet. Vixen explained us what disease is that and we're going to look for information about it. Once we do that and Vixen is ready to leave hospital, we plan to go." Sable said. He sounded as if he already presupposed that guardians would agree. "We want to ask you for approval for this journey."

"Besides, that's perfect opportunity to resume communication with northern tribes of wyverns. After Verdad became their king, we've lost any contact with whole Great Wyvern Alliance of Northern Lands." Viola noticed.

"That's true." Flame agreed. "What are your opinions?" He asked both guardians and elders.

"If I were you, I didn't allow any dragon to go there." Asher started. "I can hardly believe that they don't lie."

"What do you imply?" Tremor asked, already having bad feelings. He was right.

"Wyverns cannot be trusted. We hadn't have any contact with them for last fifteen years, we have no idea about their real intentions. Besides, I wouldn't send there Sable. He's a wyvern." Sable clenched his fist, but he didn't react. Viola just hissed silently. "And your race isn't honorable, is it, Sable?" The fire breather asked him personally.

"Asher! Enough!" Candice shouted, admonishing him.

"This is not place for such a personal..." Stella wanted to shout at him as well when Sable interrupted her.

"Stella, thank you, but I can deal with this for myself." The lightning dragon said with gentle voice. Then, he turned to old fire breather. "Elder Asher, the first point is, I am a dragon. I already proved it and I'll be proving it over and over again to you, if you want so. The second point is that wyverns of Celeste Tribu, the very old kingdom with great legacy of its ancestors, have its rules. The most important of them is honor." Sable spoke with politeness, perfectly hiding his anger.

"Even if, I dissuade." The fire elder said firmly. "This is very bad idea."

"Why?" Tremor asked. "Is there any logical reason, not just your prejudice?" He watched elder curiously and with slight amusement.

"Look carefully, guardians, at our mysterious envoy, Vixen. We know almost nothing about her and all we know should make us even more distrustful about her. She spent very long time with Primero Vengantimo and later..." Then, some metallic noise interrupted Asher. All dragons watched with surprise Sable, who had taken off katana from scabbard and stuck it in the stony floor, making a hole deep for ten centimeters. Whole blade was glowing with lightning. It remained perfectly sharp even despite this blow in the stone.

"Pathetic." The lightning dragon whispered silently, but everyone heard him. "You call yourself elder? The one who is supposed to give guardians wise advices?" He asked rhetorically. "You offend me and my friend who you treat as the worse ones just because of our past." He started. "But that's not a point." He shook his head with disbelief. "You're scared to even call Douten by his name, to admit that he was one of us. You don't want to agree that Venganza wasn't created by wyverns, but by one dragon. You keep saying that source of evil are everyone, but not dragons, though life proves us at every step that evilness is not matter of race, but heart." Sable took his blade and hid it slowly to the scabbard. In the room, there fell silence. After several seconds, someone interrupted it with three slow claps. Everyone turned at Gaillard, the earth elder.

"You couldn't say it any better, young dragon." He admitted. "I think that Tremor was right suggesting that all you wanted to say was prejudice. Spare your empty words, Asher. All you achieved was a hole in the floor." Gaillard smiled slightly.

"But..." Asher tried to refuse.

"You've said enough." Flame interrupted him.

"Definitely." Candice said coldly and Tremor nodded.

"If we don't help them, hundreds wyverns may die." Tifa noticed. "He have to help them the fastest we can. When it's still not too late."

"It's true." Stella agreed, she looked at the other guardians who nodded slightly. "You have our approval." There were no doubts that all guardians thought this same way.

"If there's opportunity, should we try to renew the alliance?" Viola asked.

"Yes, that would be the best if you could." Tremor agreed. "There are files which you need to read through before starting negotiations with wyverns, we'll give you them today."

"What should be the conditions of alliance? Shouldn't one of guardians go and negotiate those?" Viola asked.

"We leave the conditions to you. As former candidate for an elder you know a lot about policy. And besides, you have some experience with wyverns from Celeste, don't you?" The earth guardian noticed.

"It's been a while, you know, I'm not sure if I can do that." Viola said honestly. She wasn't very self-confident in that matter.

"We believe in you. And you have friends." Flame said. The guardians wouldn't give such a free hand to anyone, but they trusted Viola.

"In that case..." The azure dragoness sighed deeply. "I'll do that."

"Then, it's decided." Candice said gladly. "You'll leave the next week, right?"

"If everything goes right, yes." Sable agreed. Then, he and his mate parted with guardians and elders and walked to the exit. Couple left building, saying goodbye to Elena earlier, and headed in direction of their house. They were walking in awkward silence for some time. The azure dragoness wanted to start conversation, but she noticed that her mate wasn't in mood for it.

"What bothers you?" Viola asked, interrupting silence finally. Sable didn't reply, just muttered something silently. "It's about Asher, isn't it?" The ice dragoness easily guessed.

"Yes." Her mate agreed. "What am I doing wrong?" He kicked strongly a small stone lying before him. "I'm giving my best and still, they can't accept me. Why?" He asked silently.

"It's just him. One dragon in the whole city. You shouldn't care about him at all." Viola nuzzled his cheek gently, as she tried to cheer him up.

"What about your father?" Sable noticed, still gloomy. "We haven't spoken to him for years. Not without a reason."

"True." Viola agreed. "And I have to change that." She decided. "When we'll be going, we'll stop in the eastern city for a night, could we?"

"You really mean to talk with him?" The lightning dragon asked with note of disbelief.

"Yes. We have to finish this. It lasts for years too long." Then, Sable nuzzled her.

"Thank you." He whispered. They continued walking in silence, but in much better moods than just a moment before. Only thing that disturbed Viola was vision of meeting her father, she was bundle of nerves when thinking about that. But then, she watched her mate carefully. He really needed to feel that he was accepted by society, a part of it. The fact that she wanted to do that for him, was giving her strength. She knew that it was her duty and she wasn't going to give up.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9. "Promises"

Two days after Vixen's awakening, Asher was walking some street slowly. He didn't hurry anywhere, he just wanted to wander. He loved Warfang, the greatest symbol of mightiness of dragon race. The most of passersby recognized him and greeted him, some of them cheerfully, others very officially. He couldn't say that all citizens loved him, their opinions about him were divided, some of them found him too conservative. There were only several dragons at the street, some earth dragon greeted him loudly and elder replied smiling slightly. Then, from behind the corner appeared a small black dragoness, Asher guessed she was about fifteen, maybe a little older. She seemed to be very familiar to him, as if he had seen her already before. Then, he realized that with her black scales and green eyes, she was very similar to Cynder. Dear ancestors, she looked like her younger sister. As the dragoness walked next to him, she smiled warmly.

"Good morning, Master Asher." She greeted him.

"Good morning, young dragoness." The fire dragon replied and they walked next to each other. As he made several steps more, he heard silent, childish giggle.

"That's improvement, Master Asher." The black dragoness said. The fire breather turned around and watched her surprised.

"I think, I missed a point." He said slowly, watching her carefully, as she turned around to him.

"Well, lastly, you've called me and Sable wyverns, haven't you?" The black dragoness reminded him.

"No way." Asher whispered. "You can't be..."

"Vixen." The black dragoness interrupted him. She bowed slightly, but there was something irreverent in her movement, as if she wanted to show that she didn't respect him at all. "At your service." She said with gentle, almost unnoticeable hint of irony. "You didn't call me wyverness, but dragoness, that's definitely improvement." She noticed.

"I..." Asher wasn't really sure what to say.

"You should realize that I and Sable are no different than you." Vixen continued. "It's just your prejudice, pride, or rather, arrogance." She turned back and continued walking in her direction. "I'm glad I could have a word with you, Asher." She said making it clear that she had no respect to him at all. Before Asher managed to say anything, she was already gone.

The azure dragoness was sitting all alone in her bedroom, laying on the bed and thinking intensively. It was just a morning, so she would roll sometimes on the other side of bed when sun would start glowing straightly into her eyes. She was really worried. And the reason wasn't only that they were going to leave the dragons for at least two months. She was scared to see her father again. Once, a year after her escape, she promised herself that she would write a letter to her father with apologize. And so, in the middle of night, she sneaked out of her house, sat in park, set on fire some torch and started writing. She finished that letter. But she never sent it. Every time she really meant to do it, she would feel her limbs shaking, heart hammering and... She knew that her father was mad at her when she escaped. Maybe it changed for better, but maybe for worse for all these years. In the bottom of her heart, Viola wasn't happy that she had to face him. She was scared what could happen. But, on the other side, it was good that she had promised Sable that they'd visit him. It was so easy to escape problems and she had to finally face her ones. Viola was thinking about that when she heard some knocking at the door, which dumbstruck her a little.

"Who could that be?" She asked herself curiously. "I'm coming!" She ran down the stairs and quickly headed to the entrance. She opened the door to see Stella. The lightning guardian was carrying something.

"Hey, please, come in." Viola suggested, opening the door widely. Two dragonesses walked to the living room and Stella put on the table several thin books. Those weren't long, not more than two hundred pages each. Viola watched those curiously.

"What is it?" She asked.

"These are documents about the political situation between dragons and wyverns, the most important ones and summaries of others. There are lots of details, though. You could read them, it would help you." The lightning guardian explained. Viola nodded and took one of the books. She opened it at the random page and watched with disbelief. She recognized this characteristic, very careful and curved beautifully handwriting. Stella just smiled.

"Yeah, this one I've rewritten for myself. You know, there was little fire and some pages were burnt. I had some free time and besides, I really wanted to know this one." The guardian explained.

"What is it about?" Viola wondered, as she closed the book to read a title. It told her nothing, since there was none.

"It's all the information about death of Sable's parents that we've gathered. Still, there isn't much of it, most likely some dates." Stella explained.

"Have you asked Sable to fill the gaps?"

"No." Stella refused. "That's why there isn't much information. But still, some are very interesting, details that you wouldn't expect to see. Check one hundred fifty-second page." She suggested. Viola quickly opened the book.

"Where exactly?" The azure dragoness asked.

"At the very bottom of page." The guardian said. Viola quickly found the right paragraph and started reading it. Her eyes grew wide, as she turned her eyes on the other side. This note wasn't really long, but it was so unbelievable...

"That's..." Viola could not really find the words to express her feelings.

"Yeah." Stella agreed. She felt in exactly this same way.

"Does Sable know?" The azure dragoness wondered. The guardian just sighed deeply.

"No, I've never told him. Don't you think that it will be better not to tell him? It changes nothing, right? And he could understand it in the wrong way and then, I have no idea what he would do." Stella noticed. She perfectly knew that Sable wasn't really self-possessed and in the matters of his family's death he could be really impulsive. Viola watched the letters carefully. Then, she closed the book.

"Yeah, I guess so." She agreed. She not really liked the idea of hiding any information from her mate, but she knew that it would be much better, if she made an exception. Just in case.

Sable was spending the afternoon in the library. It wasn't really crowded, there were twenty, maybe thirty dragons. Sable was looking for any maps of the northern lands and tried to plan the shortest road to there. About twenty meters from him, there were sitting Ivory and Tris .They had taken at least twenty books and was looking for antidote for mysterious disease. Two dragonesses had very unusual way of reading those books. Ivory used her magic to make them float around them and they were reading several of them simultaneously. Vixen gave them lots of clues about that disease. It infected circulatory system, as wyverns described it, it damaged veins causing internal bleedings. Especially endangered were kidneys, brain and lungs, which were the most susceptible to it. The illness had several symptoms, for example characteristic small discolorations of skin and conjunctivitis, commonly called pink eye. There could also appear coughing up blood and fainting eventually, but at that stage of disease, very often medics were helpless and death was most likely the matter of hours or even minutes.

Even if Ivory had so much information about the disease, it was hard to find about it anything more than a laconic note, not even mentioning, if there existed any cure. From what dragons knew, magic could slow down disease, but not stop it. Ivory could hardly believe that, but she didn't want to risk. She hadn't enough energy to heal whole tribe anyway.

"Nothing here." Tris said pointing one of books. Ivory nodded slightly and, using magic, closed book and put it back at shelf. Then, she took another one and placed it where the removed one was a moment earlier.

"How is it going?" Sable asked, not even looking at them, he kept reading maps.

"It could be better." Tris said. "It looks like dragons are more resistant to that disease. We didn't need any special cure, just some magic or simple alchemy."

"Are you sure your elixirs won't work?" The lightning dragon hissed silently, as he drawn line where it wasn't supposed to be and there was no way to repair his mistake. He crushed the map and threw it behind himself, just like several dozens of previous ones.

"All elixirs that Douten learnt me are known to wyverns or useless against that disease." The fire dragoness explained. "And how's the map?"

"Terribly. I think I can't draw." Sable sighed deeply. "Copying maps is harder than I thought."

"Maybe I can help you?" They heard familiar male voice. All dragons turned to the entrance and saw Crag. He stopped next to Sable. "How is it going?"

"Do you think you can do it?" The lightning dragon asked doubtfully. He heard that Crag was good painter, but he never saw any of his pictures.

"Of course. Just tell me what you need." Crag offered.

"Everything at north from Warfang, could you?" Sable asked. The earth dragon straightened both arms stretching up. Several seconds later, he yawned deeply.

"No problem." The lightning dragon moved back from behind the desk and let Crag sit there. The earth dragon opened several books with maps of lands, which he was going to paint. He leaned under desk and found paints and paintbrushes. "Ok, let's do it." He started painting. Crag appeared to be very proficient painter, obviously much more than Sable who hadn't excepted drawing map to be this hard. The earth dragon didn't use just one map, like Sable, but several, placing on it all the details he could and each of them he was drawing very precisely. Despite the amount of information, his map was clear and easy to read. Even if it wasn't really big, doubled up several times it would fit perfectly into the ordinary medical bag, it was very precise and described lands even farther at north and south than Celeste Tribu and Warfang. Doing that map took Crag almost an hour.

"That wasn't very hard." The earth dragon said as he finished. Sable, who had been helping females in meanwhile, watched him skeptically.

"Easy for you to say." He noticed. "You're skilled painter, aren't you?"

"There are better ones, but, as for amateur, I'm quite good." Crag agreed.

"Don't be so modest, you're the best painter I've ever seen." Sable said, pointing at the map. He didn't mean to compliment, but he was honest. Crag had great easiness in painting, he didn't make even the slightest mistake.

"You haven't met many of them, have you?" Crag asked half-jokingly. "Do you want me to paint you something?" He offered.

"Come on, it's lots of work and we won't have much time before leaving..." Sable tried to refuse.

"I'm just about to finish one painting. To be honest, from the very beginning I meant it to be for you." Crag interrupted him. "And besides, when I and Ivory tidied my house yesterday, she suggested me to give some of paintings to friends, all that they're doing now is collecting dust."

"If you say so, there's no problem. What's that painting about?" The lightning dragon asked curiously.

"That will be a surprise." Crag decided not to tell.

"How long will it take you to finish it?"

"Three, maybe four days. There are some details to be done." The earth dragon said. "By the way, Vixen had left the hospital." He added after a second.

"Where is she?" Sable watched his friend with surprise. He thought that the black dragoness was supposed to remain in the hospital for all the time.

"She came to your house at the morning. She's talking with Viola, once you come back, they plan to pay visit to Spyro and Cynder." Crag explained.

"Sweet." Sable sighed deeply. It meant that those two dragonesses were alone for last several hours. Knowing Vixen's childishness, he could already imagine himself all those stories which she was telling his mate. Viola would already know all his awkward moment from all the years spent in Venganza and Sable couldn't say that he was happy about that.

"Ivory, Tris, do you need some help?" Sable offered. It was already too late to change anything, as he guessed.

"Go to Vixen and Viola, Crag will help us." Ivory replied. "Won't you, Crag?" She turned to the earth dragon.

"Yes, yes." He agreed quickly. It sounded as if he had already planned to quickly disappeared, but Ivory thwarted his plans. Sable grinned cheerfully.

"Goodbye, everyone." The lightning dragon bowed deeply in characteristic for him way and left the library.

Next week passed quickly, much too quickly for everyone. Sable and Viola spent as much of time as they could with kids, they knew they wouldn't see them for long time. The rest of the free time they spent with Vixen. The black dragoness quickly made new friendships, especially around guardians and their families, but not only. Ivory and Tris, not without help of others, managed to find information about the sickness, which was called Nooner's disease. They also found a recipe of antidote. The most of ingredients were very common at the north and the only rare one could be easily replaced by the others, as Tris assured. And then, the time to leave came.

Sable and Viola stood next to each other and watched the painting. They got from Crag a day earlier. It was quite big one. There was long landscape seen from some hill at which there were sitting two dragons; a yellow bipedal male and an azure female. They were holding their paws and glaring deeply into each other's eyes. Next to them, there was growing a big apple tree, whose branches were extending above their heads. Behind them, there could be the setting sun, dancing at the line of the horizon. Those were Sable and Viola themselves, there were no doubts about that. Both mates sighed deeply. They knew that place so well...

"Have we ever posed for such a painting? And how did he know about the apple tree?" Viola asked silently. Sable just shrugged.

"No idea." He replied. "But I think we should be going already. I don't want to be late." He noticed. It wouldn't be the first time for them to be late. In fact, they already were.

"True." Viola walked away from the picture, left room and stopped before the stairs. "Are you ready?" She asked.

"Almost." Sable said tersely. He still had to pack several things.

"I'm going to kids." The ice dragoness said and walked down the stairs to Arriate and Ñeque who were already waiting in there. Sable opened his bag and put there small notebook with notes about Nooner's disease. Then, he opened a drawer and watched carefully all the medicines he had in there. There were at least fifty bottles with medicines for most common illnesses, so Sable didn't have to go to hospital if any of kids caught some not very serious disease. What he searched for, were four bottles with red liquid. It was his blood, collected before he finished his mutation. It was antidote against wyvern's poison. At first, there were six of them, but two were used two years earlier when some couple was attacked by several wyverns from south. Sable really doubted if he would have to use them, but he preferred to take them, just in the case of some unpleasant incident. Sable took bottles. He wanted to put them to the bag, when those slipped out from his paw and fell at the floor. Those didn't break, as Sable would expect, but rolled under his bed. Sable sighed with both relief and annoyance and laid on the ground, trying to find them. First three he found easily, but he had lots of problems with the fourth one. He spent doing that some time when he heard noise of opening door and calling.

"Sable! Are you going?!" Viola asked from the kitchen.

"Yes, yes!" He gave up on the last one, stood up and walked down the stairs. Whole his family was already waiting for him. There were also Stella and Zap who just came after Arriate and Ñeque. "Hi Stella, Zap." The lightning dragon greeted them.

"Good morning." Zap said.

"Hi Sable. I thought that you were already supposed to leave." Stella noticed, watching Sable curiously. At her lips, there appeared slight smile. She already knew the answer.

"We're late already." Sable explained, just as expected.

"Dad, mom, do you really have to leave?" Arriate asked sadly.

"Yeah, can't you stay?" Ñeque agreed with his sister. Both of them watched their parents with puppy eyes. Sable sighed deeply and sat before youngsters.

"Sorry, but this is my duty as medic." He said and smiled sadly. "It may be dangerous so I can't take you with me. I promise that I'll come back the fastest I can. Once, I'll leave the Celeste Tribu, I'll fly straightly to the house. I promise." He nuzzled both youngsters. "And meanwhile, aunt Stella will look after you." The lightning dragon smiled.

"Sweet, because of all these lessons with them, I've almost forgotten that I'm their aunt." Stella muttered silently.

"Are you complaining about that?" Viola asked skeptically with lowered voice. The lightning guardian smiled and shook her head gently.

"Not at all." She replied.

"Well, it's time for us." Sable noticed. "Arriate, Ñeque, goodbye."

"Goodbye, kids." Viola said. Parents hugged their children lovingly and kissed them. As they parted, they reluctantly stood up and were about to leave.

"Sable, Viola, be careful." Stella called them. "And no worries, nothing will happen to them." The lightning guardian easily read through worries of the couple. "Once you're back, you'll see both of them safe and sound. I promise." She said with such voice that it was hard to doubt it.

"Thank you." Viola whispered silently. She and Sable slowly walked in direction of the hospital. Neither of them could know that neither Sable nor Stella would manage to keep their promises.

Once Sable and Viola reached the hospital, all dragons were already waiting for them. They passed over the fact that they were waiting for them almost half an hour. Well, the most of them passed over it.

"Freezer, why are you not only useless, but also keep slowing Sable down? He should have just left you in the house. It would work out better." Tris said maliciously.

"Said the most important dragoness in team, for whom healing a scratch is a miracle." The ice dragoness riposted. They started electrifying each other with sights.

"Enough." Ivory interrupted them firmly. "Are we ready to go?" She asked.

"Yes, we have everything." Sable agreed."Don't we?" He watched others.

"Information about disease and the most important herbs are here." Tris said, pointing her bag.

"I took all the documents I need to assign alliance between dragons and wyverns." Viola said. "I think that's all we need."

"Yes, that's all." Crag admitted. "Even if I not really like idea of assigning it." He muttered.

"Are you sure you want to go, Sable?" Vixen asked. "If I had such cute children, I wouldn't leave them for even a second." She noticed.

"I don't want to go, but, it's not my choice." The lightning dragon noticed. "Let's go."

"Mhm." Ivory nodded. All dragons straightened their wings and took flight. They flew at the east.

"The first stop, the eastern city!" Viola shouted and grinned, while flying in the direction of the city where she was born, even if her heart was full of apprehensions.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10. "Welcome home, daughter"

Seven dragons reached the eastern city two days after leaving Warfang. As they entered it, the setting sun was enclosing to the line of horizon. Their journey passed peacefully, there were no accidents that would slow them down. The happiest dragons about that visit were definitely Tris and Dante, they hadn't seen Ardora for months. Viola didn't share that feeling, oppositely, she was bunch of nerves, even if she was glad to be back there.

"Well, we'll stay here until tomorrow." Sable stated fact, as dragons stopped before the building of elders. "Do you have any accommodation for the night?" He watched all his friends with gentle note of skepticism.

"We'll go to my mom's house." Tris said and smiled slightly, as nuzzled her mate.

"My friend works in local hospital, I doubt if he'll have anything against putting me up for a night." Ivory said, as everyone watched her. "Crag can go with me, if he wants." She offered.

"I'm in." The earth dragon agreed. "How about you?" He asked turning at Vixen. Everyone already knew that former Cuarto and his mate would most likely spend night in Blizzard's house, if he wanted to even see them of course, so the black dragoness was the only one with no place to sleep.

"Can I go with you?" Vixen pleased Sable and Viola. "I have nowhere to go, actually." She noticed with voice lacking any emotions, though she didn't feel happy about that.

"Of course, you do." Viola agreed.

"So, when and where will we gather again?" The white dragoness asked.

"Here, at the midday. Then, we'll travel at the north." Sable decided. After his words, all dragons split in three different directions.

"Aren't I too brazen?" Vixen asked, as three dragons had been walking for several minutes already. Because of her just healed thigh she was still limping a little. "You wanted to speak with your father and I..."

"How do you know?" Viola asked with surprise. She hadn't mentioned about her plans and doubted if Sable did.

"You have it written all over your face. Worries, doubts et cetera." The black dragoness said as if it was obvious. She also sent her sight telling "I'm not youngster." Sable just laughed silently.

"If you want anyone to treat you like an adult, you should grow up a little." He poked her head in such way, as if she was just a kid, not twenty-year-old dragoness.

"No." Vixen refused jerking her head characteristically and electrified Sable with sight, just like a little, refusing dragoness. "I like my height and I don't want to change it." She said with infant tone. This all looked so ridiculous that two dragons couldn't help giggling silently. "Such small body has lots of advantages. I'm small, dexterous, inconspicuous and yet, able to surprise." Vixen enumerated. She started speaking this seriously that Viola watched her with surprise. Sable didn't react at all, he had already got used to that.

"But weak." The ice dragoness noticed.

"You know my fighting style. Fast, weak attacks, keep dashing, no blocking, using wind all the time. I bleed the opponent out. Literally." The black dragoness noticed. "Besides, even if I wanted to grow up faster, I simply can't. When fa… I was turned into a dragoness, he messed something up with my body, so I'm growing slower than average dragon. Eating more food won't change a thing, neither magic will." She explained.

"But you're getting along with it, don't you?" Viola asked hardly believing that she'd refuse.

"I love this." The black dragoness grinned and giggled childishly. "But I digress. What I wanted to say is that I'll interrupt you, if I go with you." She noticed.

"Any idea how to solve this problem?" Sable watched the black dragoness curiously. Knowing her, she already had something in her mind.

"I'll leave now and join you once you're done. I know where elder Blizzard lives so there'll be no problem about that. Is that fine?" Vixen suggested.

"Mhm." Viola agreed nodding slightly.

"Ok. I'll be going then." The black dragoness straightened her wings very slowly and taking deep breath. Since the surgery, she'd always do like that, enjoying the moment when gentle breeze touched her wing membrane. "See you!" She shouted as she bounce from the ground and took flight. Two dragons watched her in silence.

"She always perfectly knows how to behave, doesn't she?" Viola didn't ask, but stated fact.

"Yeah. It's good to have such a friend." Sable confirmed. The couple continued walking in silence. Neither of them have even noticed when they stood before Viola's father's house.

"Are you ready?" Sable asked silently.

"Yes." The ice dragoness felt her heart hammering. "I hope so, at least." She added after a second. She sighed deeply and knocked at the door.

It opened slowly. Viola's heart skipped a beat, as she watched the old earth dragon. It was Blizzard, her father. Time wasn't kind to him for sure. In those five years, he seemed to get on at least fifteen years . The elder smiled slightly seeing his daughter.

"Welcome back home, my little daughter." He said silently. "And this is your…" He stopped speaking as he watched lightning dragon carefully. In his eye appeared some disturbing sparkle. "Cuarto." He finished silently.

"You know my name." Sable noticed. "I'm a dragon, not Vengantimo anymore."

"Signs remain." Old dragon riposted. "Come in. I shouldn't treat my own daughter like some vagabond…" He sent short, meaningful sight to Sable. He wasn't welcomed here. The lightning dragon noticed it, but his mate didn't. "…and not let her into her own home." He finished, turned around and walked inside the house, the couple followed him with slow, uncertain steps, not sure what they'd see inside. They walked to the dining room and sat to the table. Nothing had changed since the last time Viola saw it.

"I heard that you have children." Blizzard said with monotonous, gloomy voice.

"Yes, daughter Arriate and son Ñeque. She's a lightning dragoness and he's an ice dragon." Viola said proudly and smiled slightly. "I would bring them with me if only we weren't in middle of journey." She explained herself, feeling guilty for not taking kids with herself to her father.

"They're five, aren't they?" The earth dragon watched the couple.

"Yes, they are." Sable confirmed. "They are the greatest blessing I've ever had." Then, he nuzzled his mate. "Their three are the greatest blessing I've ever had." He corrected and the ice dragoness giggled silently, as her cheeks turned gently pink.

"You're in the middle of journey, as you said." Blizzard's word sounded as if he spoke to himself. "This means you'll be here for only one night, as I guess." Two lovers nodded, confirming. "You wanted to ask me for something, didn't you?" The elder watched them carefully.

"Indeed." Viola agreed. "I have enough of living hiding from you, dad. I want to ask you for forgiveness for escaping from house." She hung her head for a moment, unable to watch into her father's eyes. Then, Sable nuzzled her gently and whispered something silently. The ice dragoness, encouraged by her mate's words, raised her eyes and glared at her father again.

"I…" She stumbled. "I want to ask for your, father's blessing for me and Sable." Her attitude changed, as she said those words. She rapidly became more confident, her sight lacked fear from that point. But she didn't demand, only asked.

"I knew this day would come." Blizzard sighed deeply. "Dear ancestors, you're just like your mother. You simply had to come, didn't you?" He smiled slightly."Of course you had. That's what Crystal would do." He stood up and walked to his daughter. The earth dragon watched deeply into her eyes. Then to couple's surprise, he hugged her and Sable warmly.

"How could I say no?" He asked. In his eyes, there appeared tears. "You're my children. I give you my blessing for whatever you do." Both Viola and Sable smiled with relief. The ice dragoness felt her eyes were getting wet and Sable couldn't help that melting mood overtook him too.

"I may not approve your choice, but I accept it." Blizzard whispered to his daughter. Then, he turned to her mate. "You've proved yourself a real dragon not once, but for the years, I couldn't acknowledge that. Now, with no fear, I can entrust her to you, son."

"Thank you, father." Sable was really happy to hear those words. He didn't expect this conversation to go so well. To be honest, he was almost absolutely certain that Blizzard wouldn't accept him. And now...

"Couldn't you find another entertainment than following me?" All three of them heard angry female voice and noise of opened door. Three dragons watched curiously in direction of voices. The speaking one appeared to be Froza, twenty-five-year-old Viola's sister. Signs of her pregnancy could be already clearly seen. Next to her mate was staying the earth dragon Angers. And between them, to both mates' disappointment, was standing Ciri. She was already thirteen and, as her older sister noticed, the bigger she was, the more annoying she was.

"Viola! Sable!" The youngest dragoness jumped to her sister and lightning dragon and hugged them strongly before anyone else managed to say a word. "You're back!"

"Yes, yes, we are." The ice dragoness agreed. Her father dropped her and Sable and Viola somehow managed to release herself from Ciri's hug.

"For how long will you stay?" Youngster asked hopefully and watched her sister curiously.

"Like always, just one night." Sable noticed, half-jokingly and Ciri sighed with disappointment. Meanwhile, Froza and Angers walked to them slowly.

"It's been a while, Viola." The ice dragoness noticed. "I heard rumors that I'm aunt already." She said slowly watching her older sister with something like envy. In past, Froza kept laughing about her older sister that she'd never start family. All dragons just laughed. And so, this evening all the family spent together, eating dinner, joking, laughing and telling each other the news from the world. Sable noticed that Vixen didn't come, but he wasn't very worried about that. She must have gone somewhere else, maybe spent night with Ivory?

Vixen was walking along the city park, gathering the flowers. She looked only for white roses, her favorite ones. The dragoness already had quite a bouquet. And then, before her appeared some ice dragon. He was just a little taller than her, but very well built, so she looked so very fragile compared to him.

"Hi." He greeted her cheerfully.

"H…hi." The black dragoness stumbled, as she watched the male carefully, unsure how to behave.

"You know that if everyone just came to the park and took some flowers, there wouldn't remain many of them?" The ice dragon noticed.

"Oh, I'm sor..." Vixen tried to apologize.

"But I guess we can make an exception for such an beauty." The ice dragon interrupted her, grinning. "I'm Anchor." He introduced himself. "And your name is..."

"Vixen." The black dragoness said silently. "Do you start a conversation with every female you meet in the park?" She wondered.

"Only those astonishingly beautiful ones." Anchor smiled to her meaningfully. "So, what boy is so lucky to be given with this bouquet soon?" He asked curiously.

"It..." Vixen sighed deeply. "It's for my father's grave." She explained and hung her head sadly. "I should have come here earlier." She said with regrets. The ice dragon watched sorrowful female with concern. Then, he picked carefully some white rose and handed it to the black dragoness.

"Hey, such a beauty shouldn't be so gloomy." He noticed. Vixen smiled weakly and took his rose with teeth.

"Thanks." She put it into a bouquet. "So, I'll be going to the cemetery now." The black dragoness decided. "See you."

"May I accompany you?" The ice dragon asked. Vixen watched him surprised.

"Yeah, why not." She agreed. "Lead a way, could you? I don't know the city at all. I'm not from here." The dragoness pleased. For next quarter they were walking across the city in silence. The male could feel she didn't want to talk. They entered the graveyard.

"You know where it is?" Anchor asked. Vixen shook her head quickly.

"No idea." She refused. "Let's look around." Two dragons were walking slowly, looking around carefully. It took them a moment, but they finally found it; Douten's grave. The ice dragon stopped several meters earlier, let her be alone in this important moment. Vixen sat before it, took the bouquet of flowers from between her wings and grasping it, watched her father's grave. It was very simple, just short sentence including name of his and his parents, nothing more.

"Little catastrophe, the old home collapsed, someone feels so alone.

The stars keep falling, gray rain like day of dry tears." The black dragoness sung sadly her little improvisation flowing from her heart.

"There's no way to go, from past dust, from us ash remains.

Little typhoon passed, wiped out our world, you and me. " Vixen watched this white marble stone so pitifully.

"Time, I'm killing only time, rest has already died.

Time, I have too much of it all alone in this void." The dragoness hung her head shamefully. She felt so bad about this all what had happened. She could have stopped this all. She knew it.

"Time, like an iron tear, like sand of desert… Without you…" Her voice trembled, as she finished her mourning song.

"So many years, dad." She whispered. "I... I miss you." The dragoness watched carefully the flowers she had brought. "White roses. My favorite ones, finding them took me a moment. You remember, don't you? I still don't know how to make that wreath of roses and grass in such a way that thorns wouldn't spike my forehead. You loved making those for me and watching me, little hatchling, running around joyfully, as if I was a princess. I was a princess… to you, at least. I want... to thank you." The black dragoness smiled slightly. "You were good father, gave me such a childhood that many city dragons could be envy about it. I've never told you that, but I'm so thankful. I love you, dad." The black dragoness sighed deeply. Her expression turned sad. "We both knew it and yet… I feel as if I should have been telling this you more frequently." She sighed deeply. "I wish you were here. I've just done something wrong, something that my friends will never forgive me and yet, I can't tell anyone about it. I'm simply... scared. I feel so alone, dad." The black dragoness was talking with her father for long time, she had lost sense of it. She had so many things to tell him, she didn't want to leave him. But once she decided to go, Anchor was still waiting for her. He smiled to her warmly.

"You've waited." Vixen noticed with surprise. She didn't expect that.

"Should I have discretely sneaked out from here?" The ice dragon asked.

"No, it's just..." Vixen smiled sadly. "You saw the grave. I am Primero's foster daughter, the one who wanted to kill Spyro, Cynder and guardians." She said with disdain to herself.

"So what?" Anchor watched her dumbstruck. "Your father wanted to do it, but not you. You can't suffer because of your father's choice." The male watched her carefully, expecting her to agree, but Vixen tried to argue. "Would your dad want you to suffer because of him?"

"No. You're right." Vixen agreed and Anchor smiled triumphantly.

"By the way, don't you think that white roses are quite original flowers to be put on the grave?" The ice dragon noticed. The black dragoness smiled slightly.

"It's quite long story."

"We have nothing but time."

"Right." Vixen smiled slightly. "In fact, it's not so very long story, but rather simple one. You see, when I was just an infant, dad would always give me those white roses. Sometimes in bouquets, but sometimes, he would tie them into beautiful wreaths. Those flowers remind me my childhood." The black dragoness explained.

"Do you know what they symbolize?"

"I have no idea to be honest." Vixen shrugged

"It's purity and innocence." Anchor explained. The black dragoness watched him carefully.

"Really?" She asked with disbelief and her companion nodded slightly. "That's…" She smiled slightly. Was it just a coincidence? Or had her father chosen those flowers for her willingly?

"Do you have any plan for an evening?" Anchor wondered.

"Well, not at all. Why do you ask?" The black dragoness asked, completely unaware what the ice dragon meant. But who could be blamed for that she had almost no idea about male-female relations?

"Would you like to have a dinner with me?" He said, unsure if she really didn't understand the suggestion or just pretended it.

"I…" Vixen laughed loudly and Anchor didn't know how to behave at that moment at all. "I'm sorry, but.." The dragoness sighed deeply. "No one really had ever before asked me out, you know? In fact, I've never talked to any male equal to me." The ice dragon watched her dumbstruck. "I mean… is it a dinner-dinner or dinner-date? Because I..." She sighed deeply.

"No worries, it's just a dinner. Just a dinner." Anchor assured, understanding that she needed to enter into those relations slowly, step by step. Even if she was already twenty. "So, what about my offer?"

"With pleasure. Where do you live?"

"Not so far from here, next to…" Then, the ice dragon blushed. Vixen watched him curiously.

"Next to who?" She wondered giving him careful sight of her dark green eyes.

"There's a… girl from neighborhood. Nice one. Really nice. She's just so… We're friends, but…" The ice dragon sighed deeply.

"Go on…" The black dragoness pleased Anchor. She was really curious of that.

"I don't know how to move on with this relationship." He explained.

"Maybe I could help?" Vixen suggested.

"How?" The ice dragon gave her skeptical sight.

"I may have no idea about male-female relationships , but I know our psyche pretty well. Just explain me the situation, make a non-romantic dinner and we'll see how can I help." She offered.

"Thanks." The male stumbled, unsure what to say. Vixen couldn't possibly realize how thankful he was to her in that moment.

"No problem and all the pleasure is mine." The black dragoness assured. "And by the way, flattering with random dragoness on the street isn't something that will help you in this heart matter, don't you think?" She noticed. Anchor blushed slightly.

"Right…"

Ivory and Crag were just leaving the city hospital. Ivory's friend, Miles, had nothing against them spending night in his house, he only warned them that he had only one bed for them. But Crag quickly solved that problem declaring that he would sleep at the floor. Now, they were walking in silence, but it couldn't be called awkward. They were rather wandering and enjoying each other's company.

"Ivory, I want to apologize." The earth dragon started and Ivory watched him surprised, having no idea what could he mean. "I shouldn't have been so angry at you when you came to my house. I know that it wasn't just the curiosity. But you wanted to help me with my problems."

"Come on, Crag, I broke into your house, you had the very right to be mad at me." Ivory noticed. "Besides, I've already forgotten about that. There's no need to recall that."

"What I mean is that you're so protective about everyone, always doing this what's the best for your friends, even if they don't realize it. Thank you." Crag smiled warmly to the ice dragoness, her lips moved gently as she smiled as well.

"You exaggerate, flatterer." She disagreed. "I'm medic, helping others is my job."

"Still, I'm glad that I'm so lucky to work with you. You've learnt me that even despite great tragedy, we should live on. For our friends and those who protected us with their own life. If not you, I don't know what I would do." Crag confessed.

"You're strong, you'd surely deal with it for your own." Ivory assured him.

"I wish I believed so." The earth dragon looked deeply in her eyes, fascinated with that magical light. He realized that he loved her, he just didn't know how to tell it her. Their sights met for several seconds, then Ivory rapidly turned her head.

"Could you not glare at me like that?" She pleased. "That's... awkward." Despite her words, her cheeks didn't turn pink even just a little. She already had practice in controlling her body, at least at that point.

"Sorry." Crag apologized. "I just can't help I love watching your eyes."

"Flatterer again." Ivory noticed with gentle note of annoyance. She didn't treat this as flirt, like Crag did. She found it just as meaningless friendly conversation and had no idea that her friend treated her every word very seriously. "It's here. Miles's home." Ivory stopped before small house. She watched the sky. Both moons and the most of stars could already be clearly seen."Tomorrow we'll hit the road so I think it's time to sleep, isn't it?"

"You go, I'll take a walk a little more." Crag refused.

"Do you want me to accompany you?" Ivory offered.

"No, no, thanks. I'd love to be alone for a moment. I'll be right back." The earth dragon explained. Ivory nodded with understanding and walked to the door.

"Goodnight , then." She planned going straightly to the bed so once Crag would be back, she'd be most likely sleeping.

"Goodnight." Crag replied and opened door before the dragoness. When she walked inside, he closed it slowly, watching her with loving fascination as long as he could. As he lost sight of her, he walked away from the house slowly. He was irrationally happy that he'd sleep in this same house as she did. As if that would change anything between them. He walked to the city park. He had to clear his mind about the day and plan how to impress Ivory, so she'd reciprocate his feelings. He sat beneath the oak, closed eyes and started wondering. He had already spent about quarter of hour like that when he felt that someone sat next to him. He stopped thinking, jerked his head and saw Vixen.

"Where have you been for whole evening?" He wondered.

"This little, inexperienced dragoness you see before yourself was giving heart advices to some young male while having a delightful, completely non-romantic dinner." Vixen explained proudly. "Well, this all happened so rapidly that Anchor not really had a chance to consider if those were right, but had to go for it."

"So, how it went?"

"Well, I just pity that he didn't thank me. But I understand, it's hard to thank when you kiss and I just slipped away in that moment. You know, his beloved decided to pay him a visit when me and Anchor were eating the dinner so he simply had to explain the situation and go for it." Vixen explained grinning. She sighed deeply. "Crag." She whispered silently. "So that's your real name, Hunter."

"And yours is Vixen, huh, Storm?" The earth dragon replied."I'd never expect you to be Douten's adopted daughter."

"Have you hunted your preys?" The black dragoness asked.

"Yes. All at once." From Crag's voice it could be heard that he did that not without a pleasure. "It took me two weeks. Later I moved out to Warfang for the new life."

"Are you satisfied with vengeance?" Vixen watched him curiously.

"Not with vengeance, but justice." The earth dragon refused. "No one could get them so I did that. Now, they won't harm anyone."

"You know, I usually condemn revenge as misplaced, but not yours. You didn't lose yourself in it and made the world a little safer." Vixen said with respect. She knew that achieving something like that wasn't easy.

"Thanks to only you. And how about you, Storm? Have you found what you've sought for?" The earth dragon watched her curiously.

"Could you stop calling me by nickname?" The black dragoness pleased. "It's weird."

"You started that." Crag noticed. "Not even now, but five years ago in that forest when we met. It seems to have happened ages ago, don't you think?"

"True." Vixen agreed. "And speaking of what I sought, I'm still missing who I really am. But I at least visited my parents' grave. It's good to know that someone remembers about them when I'm gone."

"I know what you mean." The earth dragon said silently. They were sitting in silence. They knew each other just a little, after all they had spent together just about three weeks. Despite that they were very close to each other. Both of them were lost souls deprived of a place they could call home, searching for their own oasis in this great world. But five years earlier they didn't know where to go and now, they had not only themselves, but also friends. Two dragons spent sitting like that long, they've already lost sense of time. They didn't even notice when both of them fell asleep.

"Goodbye, Viola! Goodbye, Sable!" Ciri parted with her sister and brother-in-law really emotionally, she barely managed not to let her tears.

"Come on, don't cry." Viola poked her youngest sister's head. "You're already thirteen, in future, you'll be candidate for elder. That obliges." She hugged her sister strongly. It remained for several seconds. Once she dropped her, before them stood Froza and Angers.

"Good luck." The ice dragoness wished her. "And be back quickly."

"The fastest we can." Sable promised. "Goodbye."

"Bye."Froza and Angers said simultaneously. Then, they parted with Sable and Viola. In that moment before the couple stood Blizzard.

"I hate farewells." The old earth dragon said, wiping a corner of his eye.

"I'll be fine, dad. Don't worry." Viola kissed her father's cheek and smiled slightly.

"Nothing bad will happen." Sable promised.

"I hope so." Blizzard nuzzled cheek of two lovers. "Goodbye." Viola kissed her father once more and Sable bowed characteristically. They two turned around and were already walking away, Viola's family turned around and approached to the house. And then…

"Viola!"Blizzard called her once more when she was about to disappear behind the corner. The ice dragoness flew quickly to her father, but her mate remained at the place he stood, only followed her with sight. Viola stood before the old dragon.

"What is it?" She asked curiously.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry. And that kiss..." Blizzard recalled the situation from a moment earlier. "That was the last time I saw your mother." He whispered. "And now, you leave to this same, Celeste Tribu, because of which I've lost your mother." He hugged her strongly. "I don't want to lose you either."

"Nothing will go wrong. And even if, Sable will protect me. He always did. He always will." The ice dragoness argued.

"I trust him and yet… I'm scared about you. Somewhere there awaits the one who murdered your mother."

"I know. I'll make him pay for that." Viola declared.

"I thought you felt contempt to vengeance." Blizzard noticed.

"I do. I won't take revenge, just make sure that this wyvern will be judged and sentenced." The ice dragoness explained. "The justice shall prevail." She whispered sentence so often repeated by her mother.

"Farewell, my little daughter." Blizzard said silently, a tear dripped from his eye.

"Farewell, dad."The ice dragoness hugged her father strongly and kissed him once more. Then, really reluctantly, she dropped him and walked away to join her mate. Blizzard watched her daughter flying away together with her mate. Though he believed in Sable, he was full of worries. If he only knew what would happen in next months, he'd never let them go.

At the next midday, Vixen was woken up by sun shining right into her eyes. She squinted her eyes and shielded them with paw from intensive light. Then, she noticed, that she was leaning against Crag, practically laying at his side. She stood up quickly and woke the earth dragon up. Crag cracked his eyes and yawned deeply.

"What's going on?" He asked with sleepy voice.

"I fell asleep laying at you. Again." The black dragoness noticed with embarrassment. "Why does it always happen?" She asked herself.

"It's just the second... fourth... sixth... no, seventh time." Crag noticed skeptically.

"Why no one woke us up?" Vixen watched passersby with regrets.

"Maybe we looked so cute?" The earth dragon joked.

"Ha ha. Just don't think that there's something between us." Vixen pleased, but Crag couldn't say if she was joking or not.

"Of course. I don't think like that." The earth dragon decided to treat that seriously, just in the case. "There are thirteen years of difference between us. It's a little too much, don't you think? And besides, you know that I'm fond of Ivory."

"Speaking of her, you'd better just give up." Vixen advised him. Crag watched her with indignation.

"Why should I?"He asked, again, unsure how to behave.

"She treats you as good friend, but nothing more." Vixen explained, already preparing new arguments. She knew that Crag wouldn't give up so easily."If you try something reckless, you'll just ruin your relationship." She warned.

"And how can you know that?" The earth dragon watched her curiously. His friend sighed deeply.

"Ivory adored her mate more than her own life. After his death, she gave all that love her son. She doesn't need mate." Vixen explained.

"And what when Flush leaves her? When he'll find his mate and start new family? She'll be alone then." Crag argued.

"No, she won't. There are friends, after all. Crag, she needs you as friend, not lover."

"I can hardly believe that." The earth dragon disagreed. Vixen sighed deeply with annoyance.

"Listen to me." She stood before him and glared deeply into his eyes. Her voice was deadly serious, lacking any childish note. "You have two options. First one, listen to me and live with Ivory as good, maybe even the best friend. Second one, go on and kiss her. Later come to me, we'll try to somehow repair your friendship, because it simply cannot end up other way. And consider that while we'll be walking since we already should have been before the elders' building." Vixen stood up and left aghast friend behind. "Come on." She called him, not even turning back. Dumbstruck Crag shook his head and followed her quickly. They walked in silence, the earth dragon wanted to try to convince her, but he knew that Vixen's arguments were much better than his. When they walked, everyone was waiting for them already.

"Where have you been?" Ivory watched the earth dragon curiously.

"Crag fell on me and my friend last evening, I we offered him to stay in our house for a night. At first he was refusing, but I asked him so nicely with my cute eyes that he simply couldn't refuse." The black dragoness giggled childishly as she finished her bluff.

"What are you talking about?" Crag asked her silently.

"Do you prefer to tell them that we slept together in park?" Vixen watched him skeptically. After several seconds, the earth dragon agreed silently with her. She hit a point.

"Weren't your two dating?" Tris asked half-jokingly. Crag blushed immediately, which just confirmed fire breather's theory. Tris laughed aloud.

"Sweet." Vixen muttered. "Don't you think he's a little too old for me?" She asked Tris. "Come on, let's hit the road." She to cut this conversation right away.

"I don't know, if aren't you fascinated with twice older than you males." The fire dragoness watched her, giggling silently. Vixen walked to her and stood right before her.

"I like you." She whispered. "You're sympathetic and clever. But one joke like that more and I swear, I'll break all your bones. One by one. Starting with wings." The black dragoness smiled childishly and walked away leaving aghast Tris behind.

"Next stop, Dante's Freezer!" She said zealously and jumped in the air. All dragons followed her, but somehow, Tris didn't feel as encouraged as just a moment before.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11. "Cold winds"

„Hang on, everyone!" Sable shouted, as another wave of cold wind was enclosing to them. Vixen was giving her best to slow it down, so blow wouldn't be too strong, but still, it was hard to call it gentle. Intensive snow was almost completely blinding, the travelers could barely see anything through the dense blizzard.

"What are we doing here?" Tris, flying in the middle of order, shouted. Her voice could be barely heard by Sable, who flew at the beginning.

"The weather… Crag, where did you look for information about the storm season at Dante's Freezer?!" The lightning dragon shouted to the end of order where the earth dragon was flying. He already had serious doubts about Crag's information being trustworthy.

"What?!" Crag shouted. He didn't hear anything. Vixen, flying in the middle together with Tris and Dante, repeated the question. The earth dragon shouted something and after several seconds, the black dragoness repeated answer. "Firenzo's geography!" She shouted.

"You moron!" Sable hissed angrily. He shouted the loudest he could, hoping that the earth dragon could hear him. "It was written hundreds years ago! It's not up-to-date for half millennium!"

"Do we land?!" Tris asked hopefully.

"Certainly not!" Vixen shouted. "There's no place to hide from blizzard! We'll freeze to death in several minutes. We have to fly a little farther!" The black dragoness enclosed to her a little. The fire breather was shivering intensively, since she was definitely the thinnest one in the company. "Are you alright?!" Vixen blown warm wind to her, bringing her relief, even if just for several seconds.

"Thanks." Tris whispered.

"No problem." Vixen smiled slightly. "Dante, can't you turn the temperature up in here? It's your freezer after all!" She joked.

"Sorry, this lies beyond my influence." Dante apologized. The black dragoness barely heard it because of roaring wind and Tris's chattering teeth. Viola turned around and smiled with sham pity.

"Oh, poor Tris." She said loudly. "It's chilly today, isn't it?" She laughed aloud, even if Sable watched her resentfully. The fire breather, in reply, burned her tail. Viola squeaked silently and released small amount of ice next to herself. The ice ball with diameter of several centimeters was about to hit Tris right in her forehead, when strong blow of wind threw it away.

"She's my pal!" Vixen shouted. "Don't touch her!" Both dragonesses laughed loudly.

"Power of youth, Viola!" Tris grinned. The ice dragoness just shook her head slowly.

"Just like kids." She whispered. "Oh, I forgot. They are kids." Viola corrected. Sable smiled and shook his head slowly. Then, he noticed something under himself.

"We're landing!" He informed everyone. "We're landing!" He repeated to make sure that everyone would hear him. "There's cave under us! If something happens, look for characteristic, black granite!"All dragons nodded, confirming. Sable preferred to be very careful when the weather was so bad. "Three! Two! One!" He counted down. "Here we go!" All dragons dove. Helping themselves with Vixen's wind and Ivory's magic, they somehow managed to keep an order until reaching the ground. There, they ran into the cave made of black stone, right before them. After two meters, corridor turned right, so neither cold wind or snow could reach the main chamber. All dragons realized that with unspeakable relief. The main chamber was very big. It had about twenty meters of diameter and would be completely dark, if not light at the middle. All dragons watched carefully mysterious object.

"Is that..." Viola watched it with disbelief.

"Fireplace, it seems. Though strange it is." Dante agreed.

"There still are embers." Ivory noticed. "Someone has been here lastly." She watched everyone with surprise.

"That's not strange, actually." Sable assured her. "It's well known place to spend night at the Dante's Freezer. Especially to wyverns." He explained. "Tris, there are torches at walls. Could you kindle them?" He pleased. The fire dragoness nodded and she and her mate started walking around the cave. The first fire appeared after just ten seconds.

"Crag, we let's go for wood." Sable decided.

"Outside?" The earth dragon watched him fearfully. Sable gave him annoyed sight.

"For that weather forecast of yours, you should go for it outside, while I'll be carrying it from the second end of this room." He turned around. "Come on." Crag sighed with relief and they walked for wood, Sable lighted their way up with lightning from his paw. Meanwhile, three females sat before the fire place.

"Finally, we've hid from blizzard." Ivory noticed with relief.

"Can't Sable use lightning with jaws to set the fire?" Vixen asked curiously.

"He learnt that quite well once he completed his mutation." Viola explained. "But he doesn't use it often since it's still very weak." She added after several seconds. And so, three dragonesses started talking. After a moment Tris and Dante returned since all the cave was lit with torches and Sable and Crag came with woods. Three males, with little of Tris's help, set fire quite quickly. They didn't have to worry about smoke, chimney was well-made and with Ivory's magic's help they had practically no smoke inside. Dragons sat in semicircle around the fire, Tris, still shaking from cold and coughing silently, was definitely the closest to the heat, hugging her mate strongly.

"Well, once we're stuck here, I think it's good time to explain you all something." Sable decided.

"What do you mean?" Crag, just like other dragons, watched the lightning dragon curiously.

"The genealogy of royal family of Celeste Tribu." Sable changed the position for more comfortable one. "I think, it will be the best, if I draw it." He looked around for any stick, but after several seconds gave up and started writing on the ground with claw. "There were three brothers: Verdad, the oldest one, Sueño and the youngest one, Syrius. Their father, Joven, chose for next king not Verdad, as expected, but my father, Sueño. He and his mate, my mother, that is, died in time of high treason. My mother's name was Canta. Verdad became king sixteen years ago. He, with his mate, Atenta, who's already deceased, has three sons: Cobro, heir to the throne, Clavius and Oscuro. The only one with possible mate and child is Cobro. I doubt, if any of his brothers started family since that could be treated by Cobro as danger." He stopped drawing. "So, is everything clear?" All dragons nodded. Sable smiled slightly. "Good."

"So, how did you know about this cave?" Vixen asked curiously.

"I already told you, it's well-known to..." Sable intended to repeat himself.

"There must be some story behind that." Tris watched lightning dragon skeptically.

"Don't please me about that..." Sable begged. Then Viola called Sable and their sights met.

"And what if I please?" She asked, watching deeply into her eyes. There could be heard silent laugh. Everyone already knew the result of Viola's request. Her mate remained still for several seconds, and then, sighed deeply.

"What kind of magic you hold in those beautiful eyes of yours?" He asked silently and kissed her gently. "Well, here comes the story." He finally agreed. "This all happened months... no, days before Spyro defeated Cynder."

Twenty one years earlier

A young wyvern sneaked through the corridor and walked silently to the throne room. It was very big, high for at least ten meters, with two lines of great columns covered in mysterious, engraved writings and lines. Sable hid behind one of those columns before anyone noticed him. There were only three wyverns: His parents and uncle Verdad. After several seconds, he noticed that his mother was holding Sonrisa, his sister, who had just hatched.

"I am the king!" Sueño shouted furiously at his older brother. "Not you! And you have no right to start neither alliances, neither wars! Do you realize that?!" Verdad hung his head and muttered something. "What did you say?!" His younger brother asked loudly.

"Sueño!" Canta watched her mate with blaming sight. "You'll wake her up." She said, pointing with head at their little daughter.

"Sorry." The king apologized. To be honest, there was only one wyvern that Sueño would apologize: his mate. "What did you say?" He repeated, turning a Verdad, this time, much silencer.

"I apologize, my king, for my behavior. It was reckless and exposed our tribe for harm." The wyvern bowed, but it could be easily heard that he barely forced himself to do that.

"And now, I have to turn it all back."Sueño sighed deeply. "Verdad, Principe de la Celeste Tribu, I officially dismiss you from position of an ambassador of Celeste Tribu. I will not tolerate such insolent waywardness. You're dismissed." Last Sueño's sentence sounded like "Get lost!" Verdad bowed, turned around and leaved slowly. The king stood up from throne once the door closed.

"I'll have to deal with this mess." He poked gently Sonrisa's head. A young wyverness was sleeping all the time, not woken up by her father's shouting. "I'll travel to the Dante's Freezer. Now." He decided.

"Go, if you have to. Just be careful." Canta agreed. She knew that he would do that even if she disapproved his plan. It was his duty towards the tribe, even if it was so dangerous. Then, Sable left his hideout.

"I'm going with you." He said firmly. He wasn't going to stay in home when his father would go for such a long journey. Sueño walked to his son and stood before him. He glared deeply into his eyes with strict sight.

"You've eavesdropped." The king noticed. Sable rapidly lost all his confidence, but didn't step back, neither turned his sight. They stood still for ten unbearably long seconds. Then, Sueño smiled slightly. "You're going with me." He agreed. "Wait for me before the main gate in next hour. Don't be late."

Sueño said and passed by him when heading to the door. The young wyvern watched his father's swords carefully. The first one was long and wide, gently curved, hand-and-a-half sword. It was made of red steel, very rare and strong. Paws holding hilt were shielded by sharp cross-guard, which just several centimeters from edge was bent so it went parallel to the hilt to its very end. At the ending of sword, there was no point, but plane, very sharp ending with characteristic, flat ending in shape of long, but not really high right triangle sticking out from dull side of sword.

The second sword was even stranger. It was called Lanzador, which meant lance. It was a double sword with hilt at its center. Its blades were very narrow cones covered in thousands of small spikes, which, despite of sword's comparatively big width, could easily slash through the flesh. Lanzador could be used not only as a sword. It had a chain connected to its center at one end and at the second, to a special metal glove which Sueño wore. It could be thrown like spear and then, quickly retrieved thanks for the long chain hanging at user's right side. It was very long weapon. That is why it could be separated in two shorter swords, one of them with chain, the second without it. Connecting and disconnecting them was matter of seconds. And the most important thing; blades of Lanzador were made of purple crystal and that made it truly unique. Sueño wore it as two blades, between them was the red blade, which he was officially given when he was just seven. The age of achieving swords was their family tradition. Sable, watching his leaving father, grinned and bowed characteristically.

"Let's go, father."

"And so, we came to Dante's Freezer."Sable was about to continue, when Vixen asked him a question.

"So, your father used that red sword, bigger than him, when he was just seven?" The black dragoness watched him skeptically.

"No." The lightning dragon disagreed."Those were officially given to him then. At first, he trained with much smaller ones." He explained it with such a voice, as if that was obvious.

"A sword made of purple crystal? That's… weird."

"But powerful." Sable noticed. "We'll have an opportunity to see it once we reach Celeste Tribu." The lightning dragon satisfied their curiosity as for that moment. "I and father spent here one night. Then, we reached the fortress." He continued.

"Whose fortress?" Ivory watched her friend, completely dumbstruck.

"Her." Sable said tersely. The white dragoness watched him with annoyed sight for several first seconds. And then, she realized who he meant.

"You want to say that you met..." Ivory didn't finish her sentence. Sable nodded slowly.

"Yes, Captain. Her in person." The lightning dragon agreed.

Sueño and his son walked through the corridor quickly. Their steps were very careful and yet, firm and dignified. Behind them, there walked two apes wearing heavy armor. Two wyverns reached the door, two other apes, guards with long spears, who were standing still, went out of their way. Sueño opened grand ice door with strong push and walked inside. There, she was waiting. Sueño and his son bowed in characteristic for them way.

"Sueño, hijo del Joven, Señor de la Celeste Tribu, leader of Grande Guiverno Allianza del Norte Tierra." The king introduced himself.

"Sable, hijo del Sueño, Principe de la Celeste Tribu." Sable's voice was much silencer, he didn't feel very confident before her.

"Cynder, the Terror of Skies." The great black dragoness presented herself. Sable could swear that she was emanating with fearful aura. She was giant and majestic, her metal jewelry and long white horns made her look very dangerous. Besides, he felt respect to her. He couldn't believe that his father was so cool, not showing even sign of worries.

"I didn't expect you here." Cynder noticed. Her voice seemed to be somehow melodious and yet, sharp, filled with complete evilness.

"Verdad's declarations about our help to you were his willfulness caused by his cowardice. My tribe will not help you." The king said firmly. Cynder laughed silently in very disturbing way. It couldn't mean anything good to them.

"So you came here to refuse helping me?" She asked with note of disbelief. "And you came here to tell me this personally?" She shook her head slowly, in her eyes appeared red glow. "And I believed you wouldn't be such a fool." Then, she opened her jaws and released roar of fear. Sable cursed silently, even if it was possible to dodge it, he was already so scared that he wouldn't move for even a centimeter. But Sueño remained cold-blooded. He took of both blades of Lanzador, connected them and stuck blade into the ground. Crystal blade absorbed all the red aura of fear. Sable's eyes grew wide, his father smiled slightly.

"I didn't come unprepared." He noticed. "If I hadn't Lanzador, I wouldn't talk with you face to face."

"You've made use of the crystals you stole from me, haven't you?" The black dragoness asked angrily. Her plan had just failed.

"Yes, those crystals which you use to suck out the power of guardians can absorb every element." Sueño explained. "Making swords of them wasn't easy, but results are amazing, don't you think?" Cynder hissed angrily. Though Sueño played cocky, he didn't let his guard for even a second. Coming to Cynder, even with Lanzador, was a great risk. "How can I help you, Cynder?" He asked.

"I need your hunters." She explained tersely. Right now, they were at equal positions in the negotiations.

"I know it this far. The question is what do you need them for? Do you want to find the dragon cities? Or maybe Ignitus? He's the only guardian you still need. There's also Spyro." Sueño smiled slightly noticing gentle change in her expression. He knew he hit a point."Spyro." He repeated slowly. "A young purple dragon. You're scared of him, aren't you?" The black dragoness snorted with despise.

"He's just a hatchling. He can do nothing to me. And besides, I'll wait for him when he releases Terrador." She refused and grinned in ominous way.

"He has already released two guardians. Is that nothing?" Sueño noticed.

"It's meaningless." Cynder disagreed. "You digress. I need your hunters to localize Ignitus. He's the key to releasing Malefor." The black dragoness explained. Sueño sighed deeply.

"And I thought you'd ask me to assassinate Spyro." He shook his head with disbelief. "You underestimate the power of the purple dragon. If there was Malefor at your side, I could understand that. But in your situation, it's... foolish. I warn you not as a wyvern, neither as king. I warn you as a dear friend to your deceased parents." Cynder stood several meters from wyvern and roared angrily, but Sueño didn't even turn his sight from her.

"Foolish? Do you really believe that such a youngster could do harm to me?" The black dragoness asked with mad disbelief. "I have part of Malefor's power."

"And Spyro possesses all of it. Not awaken, not yet, but in time... Cynder, I beg you, give up. Spyro will kill you, once it comes to the duel. Abandon the darkness of your heart and join the dragons, the side which you belong to." Sueño begged. Cynder laughed silently in evil way.

"Many tried to finish me. All dead. Will you help me?" She asked.

"No, I won't." Sueño refused. "Even if it costs me life of whole my tribe, I won't help you release Malefor." He bowed characteristically and his son did this same a second later. "It's time for me to leave, isn't it?"

"Sueño, once I'm done with Spyro and Ignitus, I'll crush all the northern tribes, but spare only you. This shall be your burden. You will be the last living wyvern of the north, sentenced to exist with burden of their death upon you." Cynder told him, deadly seriously. "Now, leave." She didn't want to fight him when he had Lanzador in his paws; she didn't understand that weapon fully.

"Understood."Sueño bowed once more, turned around and left the great room. Sable walked right next to him.

"What do we do now?" The young wyvern asked. He was bunch of worries.

"Hope that Spyro will defeat her." The king said. It sounded as if Sueño really wanted to avoid using word kill. And so, in complete silence, two wyverns left the ice fortress of Cynder.

"And this is the end." Sable finished story with satisfaction. He thought he had already forgotten how that happening went.

"Were you really that scared?" Viola asked with disbelief.

"I was shaking from fear. Cynder used to be so... evil." The lightning dragon confessed.

"So your parents were close friends to Cynder's parents, weren't they?" Vixen noticed. Sable watched her a little dumbstruck.

"When you speak of that, you're right, but to be honest, through all those years I completely forgot about that." Sable explained himself. Young black dragoness sighed deeply and shook her head. "Someone should tell her that. Can I?" Vixen sent her friend childish begging sight. Sable laughed silently.

"No problem." Then, Viola poked his side.

"Do you hear that? Storm stopped." She noticed. Indeed, they couldn't hear roaring wind anymore.

"Let's stay here for a night." Tris, still sitting the closest to fire, begged. She not really liked idea of traveling in the middle of cold night.

"We'll spend here one night. If the blizzard caught us again in the night, we'd be in big trouble." He decided. All dragons agreed. They spent in the semicircle several hours more and after the midnight, they all fell asleep. The blizzard started again.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12. "Honesty"

All dragons started waking up next day at the midday. Sable acknowledged with something like relief that he didn't have to stand up right after the dawn, take kids to school and run to the hospital. And yet, he found lack of those duties so… strange. After just several days he missed them. The lightning dragon woke up and sat on the cold rocks. He noticed that everyone, not counting Dante, were still sleeping. The lightning dragon waved to his friend, not speaking anything not to wake anyone up. He walked silently to the earth dragon.

"Let's take some wood to the fire place." He whispered. "It'll be better if we make fire a little bigger before girls wake up." Sable pointed fireplace. Its tiny smile was even too meaningful. Dante nodded with understanding and they walked to the end of cave for wood. In next quarter of hour, two males made a fire and started roasting meat from the previous day. It was the matter of minutes for all dragons to wake up and look for source of delicious aroma. And so, soon they all were already awake.

"Is breakfast ready?" Vixen, who woke up as the last one, asked curiously.

"I'd call it lunch." Sable corrected her. "No, you have to wait a little longer."

"Dear ancestors, is this already midday?" Ivory asked with disbelief. Then, she stretched up and yawned deeply."I'm not really hungry now." She said to herself. "Blizzard stopped. I'll go for a walk, leave something for me." The white dragoness pleased.

"No problem." Sable assured her. Hearing that conversation, Crag, who until then was still trying to fall asleep, rapidly stood up. He wanted to walk to Ivory when he met Vixen's electrifying sight. The black dragoness standing just two meters from him shook her head slowly. Crag nodded firmly.

"You'll regret that." Vixen warned him, moving her lips soundlessly.

"I doubt that." The earth dragon riposted quietly. Then, he ran to Ivory. "I'm going with you!" He declared. The ice dragoness smiled slightly, she had nothing against that. Vixen just sighed deeply and shook her head with disappointment.

"When do we leave?" Ivory asked the others before leaving.

"Be back in two hours, if you could. If weather doesn't change, we'll leave then." Sable said. Then, Ivory and Crag left for a walk.

Viola, Sable and Vixen were sitting near fire and Tris and Dante were laying on the ground a little farther and whispering something to each other. Minutes passed very quickly in good company.

"Meat is roasted already." Sable informed everyone. They enclosed to fire and took some food from above the fire. The rest, Sable took away from the fire and put to wooden bowl for Ivory and Crag. All the bowls, like sticks used for roasting, were equipment already waiting for them in the cave. Tris took for herself definitely the smallest piece, since she never ate much. Viola didn't have such limits, so she took average one, but still about twice bigger one than Tris's. Once all dragons finished eating, the fire breather didn't neglect to pique Viola with that.

"Hey, don't eat so much, Freezer, or you'll get fat." She whispered as she stood next to her. "Whatever, it won't make a big difference to you anymore." Tris added after several seconds. Viola felt her blood boiling. She never liked that brat and especially not now.

"Show me some respect." Viola said silently with demanding voice, hissing through her teeth and electrifying fifteen years younger dragoness with sight.

"Why should I?" Tris asked loudly, so everyone could hear her. Three spectators watched curiously two dragonesses. "You're not my superior." She noticed.

"No, but I'm almost twice older than you." Viola argued. She stuck her talons in ground, prepared for eventual attack.

"You're indeed old, Freezer." Tris agreed, grinning insolently."But I am much more matured than you, so basing on your point of view, you should show me more respect." The fire breather grinned cockily, sure that she won their little argument. But Viola wasn't going to give up.

"More matured? What in the world are you talking about?" The ice dragoness watched her dumbstruck.

"For example, when you had been my age, you didn't even know what means word "boyfriend". And I'm already pre..." And then, Viola burst out with loud laugh interrupting Tris. In her mind appeared so brutal riposte that she'd consider it, if she spoke with someone else. But not with Tris.

"Bad news, kid. All that it means is that you've had sex with the first boy you met at the street." Then, Tris, roared angrily and jumped to Viola, knocking her out and rolling with her across the floor. Two dragonesses started long awaited fight.

"It's quite chilly here, don't you think?" Ivory noticed, shivering.

"True. But the view is impressive." Crag noticed. Indeed, they were sitting at the top of small hill wand watching great mountains before them. Then, the earth dragon covered Ivory with his wing. "Is that better?" He asked. There was nothing suggestive about it, just a friendly favor. At least that was what Ivory thought.

"Much better." She agreed. Earth dragon's body was very warm and his wing was protecting her from gentle and yet, cold wind. "Have you ever been here before?" Ivory watched him curiously.

"No, it's my first time here. If it wasn't, I would know that at this season, there are already blizzards, wouldn't I?" Crag noticed.

"Oh, come on, your source of information had only five hundred years..." Ivory laughed silently with irony. "Sable was mad at you for all the evening. Even at the fireplace he wasn't zealous to talk with you."

"I'm never lucky about the weather." Crag confessed. "It seems to be always against me. And once it's not, something wrong happens."

"Oh, poor Crag." The white dragoness poked his head as if he was just a youngster. The earth dragon blushed gently, but, luckily for him, Ivory didn't notice that. "But it can't be that bad, is it?" Ivory asked skeptically.

"Trust me, it is." Crag disagreed. "Once, when I was just fifteen, I was painting my first great picture. When I was just about to finish it, strong wind blown through the opened window and turned over inkwell pouring the black ink all over the painting. Months of work ruined."

"Oh, you were mad, weren't you?" Ivory noticed.

"You have no idea. But that's nothing. My first date." The earth dragon sighed deeply. "We were sitting under some tree, since it seemed that it would be storm I leaned against that big oak to hide from rain and woke up two weeks later in our village's doctor's house."

"What have happened?" Ivory asked slowly with disbelief.

"That was my first question too." Crag noticed and two dragons smiled to each other. "In the moment I touched that tree, lightning hit it. Mr. Altair, our doctor, said that I was very lucky to be alive."

"OK, I met several bad lucky dragons, but that lightning definitely takes the cake." The white dragoness admitted. "So, could you tell me what weather is now?" She said, half-jokingly. Crag jerked his head and watched the sky.

"Good. I hope so." The earth dragon said. Then, he turned back at Ivory. "You know, I really like you. Despite all the darkness in your life, you have this easiness to..." The earth dragon stopped speaking, lacking proper word. "Live on so happily. Don't let your past consume you, but enjoy the present."

"What about you?" Ivory read through the real meaning of those words. "What about your past?" Crag smiled slightly.

"I'm giving my best. And yet, I couldn't find any attachment, someone that would make me focus on present, not failures of past." His wing covered Ivory a little stronger."Until now." He whispered in very suggestive way. "I... I kept hiding my feelings towards you for all these years, but I can't do this anymore. I want to be with you, to share with you whole my life. I want to be your with all my mind and spirit because I... I love you." Then, Crag kissed her. It remained for only one or two seconds. Then, the earth dragon felt pressure against his chest. It rapidly grown and he didn't even notice, when powerful blow of magic threw him at rocks. Air rushed his lunges, as his back reached black stone. All his vision blurred. And then, he saw her. Ivory was surrounded by magic, her eyes were glowing with intensive azure glow.

"Share my whole life?" She repeated slowly. Her voice was doubled by magic. Crag heard the story about this magic and immediately regretted his choice. He tried to step back when dragoness spoke once again. "Do you mean to replace Flush?!" Her voice was furious, she wasn't controlling herself.

"N...no." Crag stumbled, shaking from fear. He knew it wasn't matter of their relationship anymore, but his own life. "I...I didn't mean..."

"Liar!" Ivory shouted. Powerful blow of magic threw Crag before her feet. Ivory touched his jaw with two fingers and raised his head to look deeply in his eyes."And you're such a pathetic coward to be scared to even admit that!"

"I'm sor..." The earth dragon tried to apologize.

"Silence!" Ivory shouted. Crag felt strong pressure against his back when magical barrier started pressing him to the ground. She could crush him whenever she wished to. "I should slit your throat in this very moment. Someone who dares saying such words shall peri…" The ice dragoness hissed silently. Then, magical pressure rapidly disappeared. Something appeared in her eye. Was it tear? Crag was thrown away with magic, this time, ten meters from Ivory.

"Get lost!" She shouted madly. Her voice was no more doubled with energy. "And do not tell anyone about what you have seen! Or I'll kill you!" Crag quickly stood up, started running and in several seconds, took flight. "Do you hear me?! I'll kill you!" Ivory turned around, not to watch at him. He was gone already. With time, magic around her started dispersing to eventually disappear within couple of minutes. Ivory raised her head to watch the sky. From her eyes fell two tears.

"Your heritage, is it gift or curse, Lian?" She asked the sky. All that replied her, was cold wind.

Two dragonesses rolled through the floor. Viola and Tris were sending each other bunches of curse words, hissing silently and swinging with paws, trying to slash each other. They stopped at the wall, Tris was eventually lying on Viola. The ice dragoness hit fire breather's jaw with forehead and kicked her away with hider legs. Both dragonesses stood up and started making circles.

"Come on, brat." Viola hissed angrily.

"Oh, you're scared to attack, Freezer?" Tris riposted. Then, she felt someone's touch at her shoulder.

"Enough." Dante, staying right next to her, said.

"Yes, that's enough. Don't behave like hatchlings." Sable, who came to Viola and stood before her, said. Viola hung her head shamefully.

"You're right." She agreed. Sable smiled with gladness and walked in direction of the fireplace.

"Come on."He called her. But then, Viola grinned ominously and jumped to Tris. The fire dragoness quickly released herself from her mate's grasp and attacked as well. Younger dragoness swung with tail trying to hit Viola in face, but she leaned beneath that blow and jumped to Tris knocking her out. Dante and Sable ran to their mates and tried to separate them. Vixen just sat several meters from theme and watched them, giggling silently, as she was enjoying the show. After about a minute of tries, Dante and Sable managed to separate and drag their mates away.

"Viola! Enough already!" Sable shouted. The ice dragoness was giving her best to release herself, but lightning dragon held her strongly. "Calm down." He pleased. The ice dragoness stopped moving. "Now I will drop you and you won't attack Tris again, fine?" Sable watched her carefully.

"I won't." The ice dragoness muttered. Sable watched her skeptically.

"Promise."

"I promise." Viola said reluctantly. Sable smiled slightly and dropped her. Meanwhile, Dante released Tris. Two dragonesses watched each other angrily. If not promises they gave, they would be already at each other's throats.

"And now, sit there." Dante said to both dragonesses pointing the second end of cave. "And don't come back until you get reconciled." He ordered.

"What? No!" Tris and Viola said simultaneously and males watched them strictly. After a moment of silence, females hung their heads sadly like little hatchlings and walked to the end of cave with such zeal, as if they were walking for their own execution. After five minutes, they were sitting at the ground far away from their mates, turned with their faces to wall, glaring at burning torch.

"It's because of you. You provoked me." Tris blamed the ice dragoness after several minutes of silence.

"And you let me provoke you." Viola noticed. "Since we're stuck in this together, let's just get reconciled and go on, should we?" She suggested.

"Who will apologize first?" Tris asked.

"You." Viola decided.

"You do it. You're older." The fire breather noticed. The second dragoness watched her skeptically.

"Don't even start it again." Viola's request sounded like threat. Two dragonesses fell silent. Neither of them wanted be first to apologize. They were fighting their little war for years already and they didn't want to give ground to each other. Both of them were sitting in silence for quite long time, waiting for the other one to speak. Minutes of silence were unbearably long, but neither of them wanted to start. And both of them knew that they wouldn't give up.

"Let's do it together." Viola suggested.

"What?" Tris watched her dumbstruck.

"Let's say I'm sorry simultaneously, on three, fine?" The ice dragoness suggested. The fire breather sighed deeply. She'd prefer Viola to give up, but she couldn't disagree to that idea.

"Fine. On three." She agreed. "One, two, three." Tris counted down.

"I'm sorry." Two dragonesses said at that same moment. Then, they laughed silently.

"Ridiculous." Viola noticed.

"True." Tris agreed. "You never liked me." The fire breather stated.

"I never did." The ice dragoness confirmed. "You always were a little annoying brat." Viola's words sounded as if she was blaming her.

"And you... I hated you from the very first sight. Maybe it's because you had everything? Family, influence in town and even farther, lots of friends, colorful life...I kept crying after my parents and you were only laughing."

"You just didn't see my tears." Viola disagreed.

"Anyway, you're ice, I am fire. How could I like you?" Tris asked rhetorically. The ice dragoness smiled slightly. She couldn't disagree. Their relationship never was good. "Looks like we got reconciled as for now, didn't we?" The fire breather noticed.

"Yeah. Just don't think that I started liking you at the slightest. Nothing changed." Viola warned her.

"It didn't even cross my mind." Tris stood up. "I'm going to the others."

"Me too."Viola didn't hurry with standing up, she walked several meters behind the fire dragoness. When two females reached the fireplace, Crag was already back. He was talking with Viola, careful to avoid Vixen. Meanwhile, Sable and Dante were washing dishes with melted snow.

"Have you dealt with that?" Sable watched his mate curiously.

"Of course I did." Viola nuzzled her mate. "Have you doubted?"

"Not for even a second." The lightning dragon smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Are we going yet?" His mate suggested.

"We're still waiting for Ivory." Sable noticed.

"I'm here. We can go."The ice dragoness was staying in the entrance of cave. She walked slowly, not sending Crag even slightest sight. Sable noticed small parts of ice in corners of her eyes.

"Were you crying, Captain?" He asked with worries.

"Of course, not!" Ivory quickly refused. "Let's go, shall we?"

"Don't you want to eat something?" Sable suggested.

"No, thanks. We shouldn't waste our time." The ice dragoness refused. "I'll wait outside." She walked out the cave. All dragons quickly took whole their stuff, extinguished fireplace and torches and left the cave. Ivory was waiting for them about ten meters from exit, watching the sky. There weren't many clouds, it seemed that blizzard had already passed. Ivory jerked her head watching the others.

"Let's go." The ice dragoness took flight and the others followed her. Crag didn't push forward, he preferred to fly at the very end, avoiding Ivory and not wanting to talk with Vixen. The black dragoness was flying at the head, right next to Sable. The lightning dragon watched her carefully.

"Vixen, I wanted to ask you about something." He started.

"What is it?" The black dragoness watched him curiously.

"Those wounds you had… Who did that to you?" Sable asked.

"I don't know. It was dark, I was sleeping when they attacked me. In fact, if they wanted to kill me they could have done it right away, but they decided to play with me. But you know me. I escaped them." Vixen explained.

"We haven't asked you about this earlier, but those weren't only fresh ones. The leg and eyes were really old ones. Years, I would say." Sable noticed. The dragoness sighed deeply. "Vixen, what is it?"

"I didn't want to tell you it, but there was an… incident when I reached wyvern grounds. I've been attacked and wounded by some wyvern- a result of terrible misunderstanding. He blinded me with fire from a torch, crushed my leg. Wyverns healed the bone, but they couldn't help my eyes, oppositely to Ivory. And when I was coming to Warfang, those beasts that attacked me broke my weakened bone again." She explained. "Do you want to ask about something more?" She guessed.

"It's..." The lightning dragon didn't know how to start. He felt kind of awkward as asking her about things this intimate. "I wonder how's your mind after... Primero."

"Oh, him..." The black dragoness hung her head sadly. "This wound will heal one day, just like my thigh. I'll be limping. The question, if at the end he still loved me will always haunt me. But I learnt how to live on. If he loved me, then he'd wish me to live on, so he must be happy watching me from above. And if not, then I've made a right choice in every aspect. I will miss him, but I won't hate Cynder or Spyro for his death. They did what they had to." She sighed deeply. "I wish I could ask him if he really loved me. It's pity that I've never been given such a chance. I feel so alone."

"You have us." Sable noticed. The black dragoness watched him carefully. She just smiled slightly with gentle hint of irony in reply. In that moment she really wanted to tell him everything on her mind, but she quickly extinguished intensive fire of this desire flaming in her heart.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13. "Dark waters"

Dragons quickly left Dante's Freezer without any problems. In next two days, they reached the coast of the Great Lake, the biggest lake within hundreds of kilometers. Seven dragons stopped at its coast and watched the surface of lake. It was already sunset. They couldn't see the second end, there were only endless waters. Sable sighed deeply.

"So, here we are. Flying through it isn't a safe idea, since there often are rapid, eastern winds. Lake goes for two hundreds kilometers from west to east and fifty kilometers from south to north. Walking around, we'll lose a day or two. Most likely two, the rapid winds will slow us down." Sable declaimed. All dragons watched him surprised, no one really expected him to know such details.

"What? As a wyvern, I used to travel around it with father." Then, he turned to Crag. "You said you know how to get through this lake. So?"

"Well, there's a cheetah village near." He pointed several lights near coast about one kilometer from them."They have boats, they can take us on the other side in the night. If the wind keeps like this, at the next morning, we'll wake up already at the second coast." Crag explained. "I hope it's fine?"

Dragons didn't fly, but took a walk to cheetah's village, which took them about quarter an hour. Villagers watched carefully the newcomers who headed straight to the house nearest the coast. Crag asked others to stay outside and got in without knocking at door. Before he entered, Vixen noticed about twenty boats moored to the bridge, moving slightly, pushed by gentle waves. Then, she leaned against wall. It looked casually, but what she planned, was eavesdropping. Her power of wind didn't fail her, through the thin wall she could hear everything.

"It's been a while, Alistair." Crag smiled friendly as he welcomed cheetah sitting at desk at writing something. The cheetah stood up quickly and watched him carefully.

"Crag? Are you alive?" He asked with disbelief.

"Isn't that obvious?" Crag asked rhetorically. The cheetah shook his head with disbelief.

"What were you doing all this time? Everyone thought that you were dead, I've even seen your grave." He said resentfully.

"It's a long story. And don't tell anyone from Gorge that you saw me. It would be the best, if you didn't tell anyone." Crag pleased. "Anyway, I'm here not for chit-chat, I have to ask you for a favor." Alistair sighed deeply.

"You're here not for chit-chat, but to ask for favor? You've been gone for five years and that's all what you've got to say? No explanation or anything?" The cheetah said with annoyed voice. "You've brought me lots of problems. I protected you when everyone from the Gorge blamed you for Lisanna's..."

"No one asked you for that." Crag interrupted him. "You owe me a favor. It's time to pay the debt." The earth dragon demanded. He obviously didn't want to talk about that. Cheetah just snorted resentfully.

"You appear from nowhere after five years and the first thing you tell your best friend is that it's time to pay. You're just like villagers say. And Lissana... I guess they're right." Then, all dragons staying outside, heard powerful blow of fist against wooden desk and Crag's shout.

"It was none of my fault!" He was so mad that he screamed loudly. No one of his friend had ever heard him so angry, even Ivory, when she broke inside his house. "Now, quit this and let me tell what I need from you!"

"Tell it then." The cheetah said with cold voice.

"I need you to take me and six other dragons at the opposite coast of the Great Lake. This night. You have strong north-western wind, we'll get to there before the morning if we leave right now." Crag spoke tersely.

"You've become very demanding, haven't you?" Alistair noticed.

"I ask you for a favor, not opinion. Two Omegas will be just enough, am I wrong?" Vixen, who heard whole dialogue, guessed that Crag meant boats.

"I'll take three men and we'll leave in hour." Alistair decided. "Satisfied?"

"Thanks." Crag turned around, about to leave. "We'll be waiting for you at the bridge." The earth dragon said and left. He stood before all his friends. All sights turned at him. "We have transport." He declared. "Let's go at the bridge, they have to do several things and we'll be going." All dragons walked slowly at the wooden bridge. It was quite wide, three dragons could walk next to each other without any problem. Vixen sat right next to Crag.

"Can we talk face to face?" The black dragoness pleased with cold voice. Her friend nodded and both of them stood up. Sable jerked his head and watched them curiously. "We'll be right back." Vixen answered Sable's question even before he asked. Two dragons walked about fifty meters behind some building where no one could see or hear them.

"What is it?" Crag asked, even if he already knew the answer.

"You've been avoiding me." The black dragoness noticed coldly.

"Yes." Crag didn't even try to disagree. "I wanted you to spare me your sermon."

"Oh, here it comes." Vixen warned. "What have you done, you moron? What were you thinking when you kissed her?" She started. "That time I didn't follow you, but it's simply too obvious!" Vixen forestalled his question with answer, before he interrupted her. "You've been building trust, friendship for five years just to ruin it for one second of pleasure! I warned you. But who would listen to that little black dragoness?! You and your cursed male pride are always right aren't you?! I hate this in you, you never ever use this little organ of yours called brain. No, you have another organ to make choices like that and I don't mean heart, but your..." She coughed meaningfully and took deep breath. Crag could swear she blushed slightly. "Males." She said angrily. "Try listening to me next time, before you screw up another five years of relationship. Why am I even helping you? At every step, I try to help you. And what do I achieve? Nothing! Total ignorance of yours! You know, just deal with it for yourself. It's over. I'm done helping you." The black dragoness turned around and started walking away. She told him all that she wanted to say.

"Vixen, wait." Crag pleased, but young dragoness ignored him. "Vixen...I need your help more than before. Right now." He said with begging voice. Vixen turned around slowly. She sighed deeply.

"Fine. I'll help you." She agreed. She knew that Crag was completely helpless without her. "But there's one condition. Stop thinking of her as your beloved. I don't know how you'll do it, but I give you two days. If I notice one loving sight after this time passes, you're on your own." Crag sighed deeply. He most likely had no choice.

"Fine." He agreed.

In less than an hour, Alistair packed all the equipment they needed and gathered crew of four cheetahs, counting him. Cheetahs were ready to sail when Alistair stood before dragons.

"Four of you will sail King, the three others take Cougar." He said. Both boats he pointed had about ten meters of length.

"Viola, Dante, Tris, we'll take King." Sable declared. Both mentioned dragonesses wanted to refuse, but the lightning dragon didn't let them do that, interrupting them with paws. Cheetah nodded with admiration.

"Your three, go at Cougar."He pointed at Ivory, Crag and Vixen. The ice dragoness was obviously annoyed because of that, but she couldn't help it. "Before you get in, several words of explanation, you should know several names." Alistair said and all dragons watched him curiously. "The body of sailboat is called hull. The front of it is called bow. It has just two meters of length and in time of cruise no one can be there. It's easy to fall into water or scratch deck. Besides, there's also jib..." Alistair pointed white triangular sail laying on bow. "...which will go from one side to the other sometimes, so remaining there is absolutely impossible. The rear of hull is called a stern and only helmsman can sit there. Left and right sides of boat are called respectively port and starboard." Then, Alistair jumped on the bow of one of Omegas and kept balance even without catching anything. "This is mast." The wooden mast of each boat had about seven meters of height. "Mainsail..." He pointed the biggest sail of boat, laying on the deck."...holds on it and boom." All dragons, not counting Crag, sent the cheetah asking sights. "Boom is this pole." He pointed another wooden pole around which mainsail was rolled. It was almost perpendicular to the mast, its end was leaning against desks of deck." And those desks..." Aistair walked inside the hull and landed on long desks between which, there were openings and free space beneath them. "Those are called grating, if anyone was curious. Ropes which we use to control sails are called sheets." Alistair finished explaining the built of boat.

"So, here are several rules." The cheetah started speaking again after about a second of pause. "Firstly, no one sits on bow and stern. Secondly, the places for you are on grating, port and starboard, but, you sit before the crew. You could cause problems with sheet, if you didn't. Thirdly, keep your heads low. We're going to sail by the wind, so we'll have to tack..." All dragons, not counting Crag again, watched him curiously. "Sail slalom crossing the line of wind, I mean." Cheetah explained. "Jib will change the side and so will mainsail and boom together with it. And if somebody's head will be too high, you'll realize that boom deserves its name. It can have quite a momentum."

"How will end up being hit in head with that?" Vixen asked.

"If wind keeps like this? If lucky, just a terrible headache. But if it starts blowing strongly, you'll lose consciousness and there'll be man overboard for sure. And even perfect swimmer drowns in three to five minutes, if he's unconscious. I'll try to get you out from water, but I don't know if I'll make it in the time." Alistair smiled in very unpleasant way. "Every time I shout: tack!, your heads are going down, understood?" All dragons nodded slightly. Alistair smiled with admiration. "Good. Now, the cruise shall begin."

Ivory sat on the grating next to starboard and watched the beautiful sky. It wasn't midnight and yet, darkness had already surrounded her. Above, on the dark firmament, there were floating thousands stars, some of them extremely intensively glowing, other ones barely lighting, as if they'd disappear any second. Though there was no simple cloud, neither of moons could be seen. They were still hiding under the line of horizon, only shyly peeking out from beneath the surface of endless dark waters. On the opposite side of the sky, there could be seen subtle orange glow of last sunrays, desperately fighting to remain above the line of horizon, even if this night, just like millions before, they would fall eventually. Ivory leaned against starboard and watched deeply the dark waters. There was something mysterious within it, fascinating with its unacquaintance. It seemed like soft fabric, being waved by gentle breeze, which pushed "King" through the endless waters. At first, the white dragoness wanted to touch this mysterious phenomenon of shadows, but she stopped her temptation, afraid, if the spell wouldn't be broken, if this gentle, dark fabric wouldn't break, letting their little boat be consumed by the endless darkness beneath them. Ivory smiled to herself and shook her head with disbelief.

"I allowed my imagination run wild a little, didn't I?" The ice dragoness asked herself silently.

"I knew you'd love it." Crag, who was standing just behind her, smiled slightly. Ivory turned around and watched him angrily, deeply in her eyes, there appeared azure glow, much more intensive than the ordinary one. The spell had been broken.

"You dare speak to me after what you've done?" She asked, filling her voice with anger.

"I'm sorry, Ivory. I made a great mistake." The earth dragon apologized.

"You did. And if there was the slightest voice of reason in your head, you wouldn't talk to me now." The ice dragoness said. Her friend noticed threat hidden within those words.

"Ivory..."

"We're done talking." The ice dragoness turned around so Crag had no chance to see her face, not speaking of looking into her eyes. Conversation was definitely finished. The earth dragon hung his head sadly and sighed deeply. Ivory watched the dark waters in silence. If she could fully control herself, she'd never be this mad at Crag. But it worked exactly like after discovering Flush's death; it felt as if her own magic overfilled with hatred tried to control her. It was beyond her. She had to leash this fury of her heart as fast as possible for everyone's goodness.

Meanwhile, on the Cougar, behind bow of the ship were sitting Sable and Viola. They were cuddling each other, completely forgetting about everyone else and enjoying their company in such romantic place.

"You took Tris with us on purpose, didn't you?" The ice dragoness noticed.

"This boat or this journey?" Her mate asked.

"The boat." Viola specified. "You know that I hate her." She said with note of blame.

"It's never too late to start getting along well." Sable replied, smiling slightly. Then, he nuzzled azure dragoness's cheek. "Are you at least trying?" He asked skeptically.

"I gave up on it years ago." The ice dragoness admitted and smiled slightly. "Don't you have anyone, who, though he should be your friend, you hate from the bottom of heart?"

"There used to be one." Sable agreed. "My cousin, Cobro."

"Used to be?" Viola watched her mate curiously."I thought you said that he lives."

"He does. He was just... promoted."

"Promoted?" The azure dragoness had no idea what Sable could mean.

"Now, he's my deadly enemy." The lightning dragon explained. "You know, personal reasons."

"Why from all the tribes of north, the one to ask you for help was Celeste Tribu?" Viola asked sadly. Then she sighed deeply. "Life would be much easier if it was any other."

"World never bothered itself to make our life any easier, did it?" Sable noticed. Viola laughed silently.

"No, it definitely didn't." She just couldn't disagree. "Don't you think that..."

"Wait." Sable interrupted her. He started watching sky behind them.

"What is it?" The ice dragoness asked curiously.

"The weather is changing. Storm's coming. And it's definitely not weak one."The lightning dragon foretold. Then, all dragons heard some disturbing sough.

"What is it?" Dante asked everyone.

"Wall of rain." The cheetah holding steer, Azimuth, replied. "Storm is just about to hit us, so heads down, hang on and pray that we make it through it." Tris laughed silently. "I'm not joking." The cheetah said and, to Viola's amusement, smile disappeared from fire breather's face.

"Captain Alistair, the winds are changing." Vixen warned the captain of their boat.

"Don't call me captain, but just use my name. And wind changes a little sometimes, kid." The cheetah assured her, not worrying at all. Vixen electrified the cheetah with sight.

"Don't call me a kid. And by the change of wind I mean it is a powerful storm." The black dragoness riposted, but she heard no reaction. "But if you think it's nothing serious you can ignore me." She added after several seconds with annoyance.

"You're right, youngster. Wind changes." The cheetah agreed after several seconds. The changes in the air were already notice able for everyone. The wind was getting weaker. "Azimuth!" Alistair shouted.

"I know!" The captain of Cougar replied. Then, the wind stopped completely. Dragons heard noise of enclosing wall of rain. Because of darkness lit only by lanterns at the tops of masts, it was practically invisible.

"The wind is going to hit our stern." Vixen warned. The cheetah nodded.

"I know. Let the jib fly." Alistair ordered. His friend nodded slightly and let sheet of jib loose. Smaller of sails stopped working at all. Meanwhile, the cheetah let the mainsail fly as well. The crew of Cougar did exactly this same.

"What happened if we stood with side turned to the wind?" Vixen asked curiously

"It could roll us over without any problem." Cheetah explained. "And at this wind, there's an extremely small difference between rolling over and death sentence." Two boats were waiting motionlessly for the coming of the storm. Silent second when all they heard were their breaths and noise of wind and enclosing rain were passing unbearably slowly. And then, everything happened too fast.

Powerful blow of wind picked up the droplets of water from lake's surface, creating dense mist behind the boat, the phenomenon called by sailors white squall. The powerful wind reached the boats pushing them strongly forward."King" immediately accelerated, Alistair slowly sheeted in their mainsail. Meanwhile, mast cracked in very disturbing way, but because of howling wind, the only one to hear that was Ivory, sitting right before it. She didn't even notice when big wave poured inside the boat soaking her completely. Alistair somehow controlled the boat, but winds were getting stronger.  
"Let jib fly and strike it, we have to reduce the surface of sails." The captain ordered. The second cheetah nodded and walked quickly to mast, unfastened some line and took smaller sail down.

"Why won't we take the mainsail down?!" Vixen shouted so anyone could hear her.

"It's very easy to turn the boat over sailing with just jib, much easier than with the mainsail!" Crag explained, shouting as well.

The second boat, "Cougar", had much less luck. Strong wind pushed not their rear, but the back side of port, the side which helmsman simply couldn't expect. Just a moment earlier, Azimuth had loosened mainsail leaving it on the right side. This appeared to be the great mistake. Now, pushed by that unpredicted blow, hard, wooden boom flew rapidly on the other side, almost breaking the mast. Cougar tilted, so starboard enclosed to water's surface in just a second. Because of that, Tris, trying to catch her balance, had to raise her head. In effect, boom, with its maximum speed, hit the fire breather right in her forehead, knocking her out and literary throwing her out from the boat.

"What the…"Dante didn't even notice when did that happen.

"Damn it." Azimuth cursed silently."Man overboard! Keep an eye on her! Don't lose her for even a second!" He shouted very loudly, so even Alistair, barely, but heard it. Then, he rapidly changed his direction, sailing perpendicularly to line of wind. "We have to make it in the first try. We have just three minutes before she drowns." Then, he tacked, mainsail and jib flew on the other side of boat. Now, they were sailing in direction of place, where they have lost Tris.

"Prepare to catch her on the left side." Azimuth ordered. "Where exactly is she?"

"Where is she?!" Dante asked, full of worries. Then, Sable took sword and raised his paw. He created a great stream of electricity, lightening area around them. But still, they couldn't see anything through the dense mist. "I can't see her!" The earth dragon shouted. Cougar swam for about hundred meters. Azimuth cursed silently. He repeated maneuver, even if he couldn't see the red dragoness. They sailed to the place where Azimuth expected to find her and Alistair checked area behind them. And still, they found nothing.

"It's pointless!" He shouted. "This wind..." Then, he moved tiller rapidly. "Tack!" The mainsail went on the other side of boat. "There's no chance to find her!" And then, the wind rapidly weakened, all that remained was gentle breeze. Both boats slowed down rapidly. The rain stopped soaking them and they were lit by not really intensive azure aura.

"What the..." Viola raised her head. Above them all there was a great, high for at least ten meters, shelter of azure energy, shielding both boats and sphere of about one hundred meters of diameter around them. It let in only a gentle breeze.

"Ivory." Crag whispered with disbelief. The ice dragoness was releasing great amounts of magic, around her, there appeared a gentle azure circle of energy. Her eyes were glowing intensively, just like when she got mad at the earth dragon several days earlier. But this time, the power she used was dozen times stronger, the earth dragon could swear that air around her had become ticker. "Ivory." He repeated slowly with asking voice.

"She will not die." She whispered with voice doubled by magic. "No more death." She said, rather to herself than Crag. Then, something appeared at the water's surface. It was Tris, being lifted by not very big magical wall. Cougar swam quickly to her, Dante grabbed her and took her inside boat. Then, he laid her on the grating gently. After several silent seconds, the fire dragoness coughed up hardly with water and regained consciousness. Dante sighed with relief and kissed his mate.

"On the brink of death dancing. Will you ever stop such reckless acting?" He asked half-jokingly. The fire dragoness smiled slightly.

"It's stronger than me." She replied and kissed her mate's cheek. Then, magical shelter rapidly disappeared. Wind, still strong, pushed sailboats strongly. Ivory, who spent whole her magical power fainted and would fall on the grating, but Crag caught her just in time and put her at the ground gently. Then, he covered her from rain with a waterproof cloak from Alistair. He watched her carefully and estimated her state. She had exhausted herself completely in just several seconds. She was extremely weak, but nothing endangered her life. Two sailboats continued cruise through the storm, which in about an hour started weakening and rain stopped, so dragons could sleep, even if only for less than four hours. They reached the shore without any other accidents, welcomed by a beautiful, rising sun.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14. "Village from painting"

Several morning hours after reaching the shore dragons spent sleeping at the grass, beneath old oaks about twenty meters from lake. They didn't bother themselves with searching for any better place for rest since all of them were exhausted with happenings of previous night. About the midday, Vixen felt that somebody was poking her shoulder strongly. She really didn't want to wake up. Warm sunrays against her black scales were so pleasant... But, anyone that was, he most likely needed to tell her something important, at least that was what she hoped. She cracked her eyes reluctantly. She saw Crag, watching her with hoping sight.

"Crag?" Young dragoness asked with sleepy voice. "What's going on?"

"I need to ask you for a favor." The earth dragon pleased.

"What is it?" Vixen yawned deeply and then, she started glaring at him curiously.

"I need to leave for one day, there's something that I have to do." Crag explained. "I don't want you to waste whole day, just stop there, I'll join you." Then, he put his map right before her and pointed some place. Vixen watched it carefully.

"Where are you going?" The black dragoness asked with childish curiosity.

"There's a place which I have to visit." Crag explained tersely, trying to avoid answer.

"Is it that Gorge you mentioned while talking with Alistair?"The black dragoness guessed. Crag sighed deeply and she giggled silently. "Sorry, I couldn't help eavesdropping." She explained herself.

"Can't you just sleep again?" He asked.

"You woke me up, now I'm your problem now." Vixen replied grinning. Then, the earth dragon poked her head in gesture of amused older brother.

"Just sleep, Vixen." He pleased with warm voice. He really liked that little dragoness, as if she was his younger sister whom he had never had. Crag walked the path along the lake. He didn't hurry, his destination wasn't far away. Besides, some part of his heart really didn't want to come there. After some time, an hour maybe two, he stood on the verge of forest. From this place, there could be seen rocky crag placed about ten kilometers at the north, in the middle of some meadow. Memories returned all at once.

"I want to go back to my parents." Just five years old dragon said firmly, but he sounded as if would cry."I want to go to parents, Mr. Alistair." He pleased.

"You can't go to your parents, kid." About fifteen years old cheetah sitting at rock next to hatchling said. "Your parents told me to take care of you..."

"I want to my parents!" Youngster shouted with demanding voice. "I miss them!"

"Youngster, we're not going back." The cheetah said.

"But I want to! I haven't seen them for week!" Youngster didn't mean to give up. "I know that my parents were wounded, but they should already get well..." The cheetah felt his blood boiling. It'd been already several days since he took him and youngster kept yelling for whole this time.

"They're dead!"He shouted, very angry. Then, he realized his mistake. Youngster watched him with growing eyes. Tears started appearing in corners of his eyes to eventually flow down his cheeks.

"You're lying!" The youngster shouted and started crying."They can't be dead!" He desperately refused. The cheetah sighed deeply, mad at himself.

"I'd be terrible father, wouldn't I?" He asked silently. "Kid, I wanted to say that..."

"There you are, Alistair." They heard voice from behind them. Both cheetah and dragon saw quite old fire breather. At his back, there was little ice dragoness, her scales were clearly white and eyes intensively dark blue, she was just about five years old.

"Ignifier." The cheetah watched the newcomers with relief. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry, there've been complications. Thanks ancestors apes not really care about this territory, it allows us to live quite normally. But still, we need to be careful." The fire dragon explained himself.

"Of course, better safe than sorry. And yet, you brought your daughter." Cheetah noticed sarcastically, watching little ice dragoness.

"Lisanna really wanted to see something more than those caves where we keep hiding." Ignifier said. "So, what is it?" Then, cheetah moved his head meaningfully. He and fire breather walked at the side, so youngsters couldn't hear them talking.

"You have to take care after that youngster. He's an orphan. He and his parents were travelling through the forests, most likely to the undergrounds of the eastern city. They were being followed by apes, there've been several very bloody fights. Eventually, we came with help when we heard noise, but it was already too late. Youngster has no even a scratch, but his parents died the day I left the village. Medics say that he went through the horror, he has fragmentary amnesty, most likely permanent." Alistair explained.

"I understand. There's no problem, we'll take him." Ignifier agreed. Meanwhile, the little dragoness stepped to her equal and sat before him.

"Hi, I'm Lisanna." She introduced herself.

"Hi." The youngster replied silently. Lisanna watched him with annoyance.

"You know it's very rude not to introduce yourself? Especially when I already did it." She noticed. "Come on, what's your name?"

"I don't know. I don't remember it." The earth dragon muttered.

"Don't you? Then we have to give you some." Lisanna suggested.

"Lisa, you can't give names just like." Her father noticed. "It's more..."

"Oh, come on, dad, he'll be given name anyway, why can't he choose it?" Youngster pleased. Old fire breather just shrugged, agreeing. "What are you watching?" Lisanna asked her equal.

"Those rocks." The youngster pointed at rocks about ten kilometers from them, which could be clearly seen from that point.

"Nice crag." Lisanna noticed. "It reminds you a little, it's outstanding part looks like one of your horns, don't you think?" The earth dragon nodded agreeing. "That's it! Your name will be Crag!" The ice dragoness shouted with amusement.

"Crag..." The youngster repeated. "I like it." He agreed.

"So you're Crag." The ice dragoness declared.

"And you're Lisanna. From now, we're friends, aren't we?" Crag asked hopefully.

"We are." Lisanna didn't have to think even a second about the answer.

Since this happening, there have passed already twenty eight years and yet, that crag kilometers away hadn't changed even a little. Crag shook his head getting rid of those thoughts and continued walking. His path started being steeper, as he reached some hill, he was eventually about ten meters above surface of lake. It could be clearly seen from that point, there was cliff near him beneath which there was only water. He stopped about ten meters from it and watched the tree growing just a meter from cliff. It was big, old willow. The time wasn't merciful to it; its trunk had already started decaying since the last time he saw it. He couldn't forget that place. There were simply too many beautiful memories sealed within it.

"Are you done painting?" Fifteen years old dragoness asked impatiently. She was partly hidden within long, thin, green branches of the old oak, leaning with side against its trunk. Her dark blue eyes were watching deeply into Crag's eyes. At her lips, there was slight, blissful smile, sunrays were beautifully shining at her side and back. She had characteristic two, not really long, light horns at top of her head, which were curved gently down. Crag, her equal, watched her from behind easel, which he had built earlier for his own, and smiled slightly. The war had been finished a year earlier. He loved painting her in beautiful sun light, when they had no more to hide within caves.

"I'm almost done, Lisanna." He assured. "You look so beautiful that it's hard to render it accurately with just paint and brush in such short time." He explained. The ice dragoness sighed impatiently.

"I can wait a little longer." She agreed reluctantly. "But not too long."

"No worries, it'll take me just several minutes more." Crag promised.

"Can you sleep in my house tonight?" The ice dragoness asked curiously after several seconds of silence.

"I think that your father has something against it, doesn't he?" The painter noticed.

"Does it change anything?" Lisanna asked. The earth dragon grinned insolently.

"Why should it? I'll enter through the window at the evening, like always. So, what does he thinks you're doing right now?" He asked curiously.

"Right now, I'm hanging around with Chris." The ice dragoness said, trying not to laugh aloud since her moving would be problematic for the painter.

"Oh, your fiancé." Crag said with note of envy. "Your father really likes him, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he wants us to be couple." The ice dragoness agreed.

"What does he see in that moron?"The painter asked, as he changed brush for the smaller one to finish the details.

"You know, he's son of Sparkle from Leafen, young, handsome, influential, educated, charming..." Lisanna started enumerating, in her voice there was no even note of praise, rather irony. "That's a pity that dad can't notice that he's childish, egocentric, ignorant, pert and..."

"Terrible candidate for the mate?" Crag guessed ending of her sentence.

"Exactly." Lisanna agreed, completely forgetting that she was supposed not to move her head, especially not nod quickly.

"Ok, I'm done." Crag said moment later and put away the brush. Lisanna sighed with relief and stretched up. Partly hidden within willow's branches, she looked so breathtaking... Then, the ice dragoness walked to him and watched the painting.

"Oh, it's lovely." She said, smiling slightly.

"I still can't paint you as beautifully, as you deserve." Crag said, disappointed with final result. The ice dragoness watched him with disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" She watched the painting carefully, searching intensively for any defect and still, she could find nothing. "You're amazing painter, maybe even better than medic." She argued.

"With the ancestors of yours, you're definitely much better medic than me, aren't you?" The earth dragon noticed.

"That's not the point." Lisanna noticed. "You're the best painter I've ever seen. And the only one who I love." She nuzzled his cheek lovingly.

"Chris isn't painter, which means..." Crag said half-jokingly. Lisanna watched him skeptically.

"Don't even start." She interrupted him. Then, Crag kissed her lips gently, grinning.

"No matter what your father says, we shall be together. Until death separates us." He whispered.

"Until death separates us." Lisanna agreed silently and kissed her lover once more.

Crag watched this place with nostalgia, as the cold wind blown in his face, bringing to him several small leaves. The earth dragon watched sadly the old willow, for those eighteen years it seemed to have changed just a little. He passed by the cliff and continued walking. He walked down the hill and started walking beaten, quite wide path through dense forest. The hour which he had spend there, passed unbearably long. In one moment, all memories of the past started invading his mind. He involuntarily recalled all beautiful moments he spent there, which now he regretted from the bottom of his heart. The guilt for what have happened struck him thousands times stronger than every day of his existence. And then, he left the forest and he saw his destination. The little village called Gorge, since it was built in the bottom of ravine. After five years, he had returned to his… home? The place where he was raised.

The earth dragon could already see his village. It was simple; there was only one, long street at which were all buildings, there lived about one hundred dragons, so everyone knew each other. The houses were made of wood, the most of them had beautiful, often ornamented, verandas where old dragons spent time, telling hatchlings their stories. Crag, only twenty-years old, was running across Gorge, even if he was so exhausted that he could barely walk.

"Where are you running, Crag?" He heard voice of his friend from behind.

"To the home! Where else?!" The earth dragon replied, not even turning around. His heart was beating madly in excitement, once he saw his house just fifty meters farther. On the wings of joy, he appeared in front of door to his house just several seconds later. He quickly entered the house. In their room, there she was waiting. The purely white ice dragoness, Lisanna.

"Crag!" She watched her mate with worries. The earth dragon would fall on the ground, but she caught him quickly. "Are you alright? What happened?"She asked, really worried about him.

"No worries, sweety." He just smiled slightly and kissed her cheek. Then, he raised his paw. There was small, still bleeding wound. Around it, there was floating red, mysterious aura. "Exchange of lifes. I learnt it." He said proudly.

"I told you not to do that." His mate said with blaming voice.

"This is my duty. To protect you. With this..."He showed her his paw meaningfully. "I know what you think. This is dark, blood magic. But I want to protect you whatever happens. You and Idris." Mates hugged each others, their sights turned at their egg. It was purely white, there were just several green strips. Their daughter, Idris, would hatch in a week, maybe two.

"I'll protect you." Crag whispered his promise.

Five years earlier, Crag was standing in his house. It looked almost like in the moment when he left it, just a little refurnished. He had no idea what he had expected to see there, maybe he was just deluding himself with hope that this all was just a bad dream. But it wasn't, the brutal reality struck him now all at once, crushing him with its burden. He slowly grasped from bag at his side small casket and took from it part of shell of dragon's egg. He watched several drops of dragon blood covering it, the blood of his daughter. A small eggshell, pathetic, pitiful parody of what he used to have. Small tear left corner of his eye and fell at the shell. The drip quickly slipped down from it and reached the ground eventually.

"I...I failed you." He whispered, glaring deeply at the shell. "I failed you, Lisanna." For whole five years, he couldn't accept this truth. Neither he could now. He started crying. He never meant to return there, he never wanted. And yet, he was there. Some mysterious force was luring him there, so he couldn't forget. Then, Crag heard steps from behind.

"You've come back son." The earth dragon, hearing those words, slowly turned around. He saw an old fire breather watching him carefully.

"I've lost the right to call you father in the moment when Lisanna died, didn't I, Mr. Ignifier?" He stumbled.

"No, you didn't. In fact, that day proved that she loved you." The fire breather disagreed.

"After you disappeared, we all thought that you were gone for good." Ignifier said silently. He and his son-in-law were sitting before Lisanna and Crag's grave. "We've even made funeral for you."

"I see." Crag whispered. "It's just... when I woke up and I acknowledged what had happened... I knew that I had to take my revenge. " His father in law sighed deeply with disappointment. He understood it, but still, didn't approve.

"Did you kill them?" He asked.

"I hunted them down, one by one. Not without pleasure." He said shamefully. "If not Vixen, I'd most likely let my heart be consumed by darkness."

"Vixen? Who is she?" The fire breather asked.

"Close friend, she's a kid, I treat her like a younger sister." Crag explained.

"Why didn't you return, once you killed them?" Ignifier's voice hid note of blame.

"I never meant to return here. An accident, or rather opportunity pushed me to do this. I tried to forget, to get along with this, but I can't. I even tried to find mate. But... I've realized that I'd just make both me and her unhappy, no matter how good dragoness she would be."

"So you couldn't find the happiness?" Ignifier asked.

"Yes. Without Lisanna, without Idris... is there any point of my life? I couldn't even see my own daughter." The earth dragon was barely stopping tears.

"You still can see her." His father-in-law said, smiling slightly.

"What?" Crag watched him dumbstruck. "I don't..." He obviously missed the point, he had no idea what to think about those words.

"Idris lives, Crag. Your daughter had been waiting for you whole five years already." The fire breather explained. Now, Crag couldn't stop tears at all. It seemed to be a beautiful dream appearing in this nightmare. The earth dragon placed his paw at his lips, his eyes grew wide, glaring somewhere with blind sight. He had no idea how to behave. He was just laughing silently with joyful disbelief. Thousands thoughts were running through his mind, but he managed to say only one sentence.

"Can... can I see her?" He asked.

"Of course. After all, she's your daughter." The old fire breather agreed.

The door to Ignifier's house opened slowly, the fire breather walked inside. Crag wasn't really confident at that moment, he stepped to the house rather slowly.

"Come on. Have some courage." Crag's father-in-law suggested.

"Where's mom?" The earth dragon asked silently.

"She left the village, she's going to be back in hour."The fire breather explained tersely. "Idris is upstairs. Should I call her?" He suggested.

"Mhm." Crag nodded slightly.

"Idris, you've got a visitor!"The fire breather shouted.

"I'm coming, grandpa!" The young voice replied. Crag could swear that he had just heard Lisanna from years before. Her voice was so beautiful, melodious... He loved it. And then, he heard slow steps at stairs. His heart rate rapidly spiked. He cursed the stairway built in such a way that he couldn't see his daughter until she'd get down to the very bottom. And then, she came. Young, just five years old dragoness stood before him. Almost all her scales were purely white, but she had long triple green strip across her body. It started at top of her left paw. Three thin stripes were snaking along her arm, practically spinning in very beautiful way. Then, all three of them reached her torso. Two stripes, which were at her chest, went parallel down her chest ending just several centimeters before line of the last rib, branching beautifully at left side of chest. The third and last one was placed at her back and it had similar length, it branched as well. Her eyes were dark blue, just like her mother's. Her horns were definitely more subtle than her father's, two long and not really thick ones, though she inherited father's characteristic lack of parallelism, which could be seen, if you watched carefully. Her tailblade was long and oval, its both sides were sharp. And the thing that Crag interested at the very beginning was her left wing. Or rather its lack. She had only one, right wing, which was purely white. Moreover, she had no scar at her back, it looked as if she hadn't lost one wing, but was born lacking it.

Young dragoness watched him curiously.

"Who are you?" She asked with suspicious voice. She sounded as if somewhere in back of her mind, there was hidden answer.

"I... I am your father." Crag explained. Young dragoness watched him with disbelief.

"Dad?" Idris said silantly. Her father nodded slightly. Then, he felt that he was being cuddled by little dragoness. "You're back! I knew that you'd be back!" In her eyes, there appeared tears. Neither Crag could stop them.

"Here I am." He agreed. "If only I knew that you were here all the time, I wouldn't leave you for even a second." He whispered with apologizing voice.

"Never mind, dad, you're here. Nothing else matters." Idris noticed.

"Indeed." Her father agreed. The joy of father who regained his daughter is unspeakable, unable to be described, so I won't even try to describe how was Crag feeling, because there are no words which could character it properly. All I can say is that he was definitely the happiest dragon in the world at that moment. Most likely, even he couldn't describe all those marvelous feelings, released all at once.

After very emotional greeting, Idris and her father went to her room, Ignifier decided that they deserved to spend some time alone. Young white dragoness and earth dragon had so many things to tell each other. Idris explained her father that she hadn't wing since she hatched, that she also lacked element, but she was hiding that fact, only two of her friends knew that. She was getting along with her equals quite good, but she confessed that other youngsters sometimes laughed because of her wing. But then she quickly added that everyone had already got used to that and she doesn't complain about it. She only wanted to be able to fly, even if just for several minutes. And then, she asked about the night when her mother died. Crag couldn't refuse wish of his only daughter, only family. He told her whole story with all the details. It took him quite long, after all it wasn't short story. When it came to the end, both dragons were crying, even Crag who kept cursing himself in mind that as male, he shouldn't cry. The earth dragon continued his story, about his revenge and several years he had spent in Warfang. He didn't try to hide his feelings about Ivory, which were bothering him since he heard that his daughter lived. Luckily for him, Idris was angry at him, but just a little, he understood that her dad was trying to find his own happiness. She also realized that he found it within her. And then, Crag explained her how he came back to Gorge.

"Dad, do you really have to go to those wyverns?" The hatchling asked sadly.

"I regret that, but I have to. This is my duty. You know, others need my help." Crag explained. Then young dragoness hung her head sadly. "Hey, don't cry, will you?" He pleased. "Once we deal with this, I'll fly straight to you. I promise." Crag hugged her strongly.

"Fine." Idris agreed sadly. "Just come back quickly, could you?" She asked with begging voice.

"Of course I will." The earth dragon confirmed and nuzzled his daughter. "Idris... The last five years I spent with no point in my life. And you gave me the one. I'm not going to waste this. Once I'll come back, I'll never leave your side." He smiled warmly.

"You never were good at keeping promises, were you?" The white dragoness noticed with worries.

"True, I never was." Crag agreed. "But this one... I'll keep it whatever happens." The dragon turned around and looked out a window. "The sun is already setting. I didn't even notice when whole day passed." He said to himself with disbelief.

"Are you going already?" Idris asked sadly.

"I'm supposed to..." The earth dragon noticed begging sight of his daughter. "But I think I can afford to stay at least for a night."

"Yeah!" The hatchling jumped to her father and cuddled him strongly. And so, father and daughter spent whole the night together, most likely talking, but some time they spent also sitting in silence and last hour before the sunrise they were sleeping. And so, there came time of their separation. At first, Crag bided goodbye to his parents-in-law. Then, he hugged strongly his daughter. Their farewell was as emotional, as their first meeting, as if they wouldn't meet again, even if both of them realized it wasn't true. After several long minutes, which to Crag seemed to be both joyful and sorrowful eternity, the earth dragon dropped his daughter, bided them all goodbye for the last time. Then, he spread his wings and jumped to the sky.

"You're back." Vixen noticed with gladness. She smiled slightly in warm way. "You're late a little, but Sable and Viola went for hunting anyway, so we still have some time. And Ivory felt terribly exhausted. You know, until the midday, she could barely move." The black dragoness explained and poked the ground next to her. "Come on, sit down." She suggested. Crag who had just came to the cave where he had asked the others to stop watched her dumbstruck at first, but, encouraged again by Vixen, he sat at her side.

"Where's everyone?" The earth dragon asked.

"Here and there. No one will disturb us." Vixen assured. "So, you've been to your home village, haven't you?" The black dragoness asked with voice deprived her casual childish curiosity, it was serious and sad a little.

"How do you…"

"You know everyone and everything around here, even this cave though it wasn't mentioned at any map, only yours. And the only place you could mean to go was your home village. You wanted to see Lisanna's, your mate's grave, didn't you?" That was rhetoric question. Crag didn't even ask how she figured this all out.

"Yes, I was there." The earth dragon agreed, his voice was quite joyful, which surprised Vixen a little.

"So, how was it?" She asked, watching her friend carefully.

"I realized that I'm…" Crag smiled slightly. He couldn't wait to see Vixen's face. "My daughter's alive." Black dragoness's eyes grew wide she had no idea what to say. Then, she simply hugged him strongly in friendly way.

"Oh, congratulations, Crag!" She knew how good those news were for him. For him, lonely for so many years. "Daughter or son? What is…" Vixen would start asking her lots of questions, but Crag interrupted her.

"Her name is Idris, she's five. She's…" The earth dragon lacked a word for a second. "Unique."

"How is it like that you didn't know that she was alive for all that time?"

"My… rival tricked me the night when Lisanna died. He lied that Idris was killed."

"That was the night when you left, wasn't it?" Vixen asked and her friend nodded, confirming."Could you describe her?" The black dragoness pleased.

"White dragoness, dark blue eyes, two thin horns. She has beautiful green stripes at her left arm and chest. She has only one wing and can't use element. Yet, I hope." Crag said.

"You not really care about that your daughter is... different?" Vixen guessed. "The wing, I mean?"

"Why should I?" The earth dragon asked, dumbstruck a little. The black dragoness giggled silently.

"Once we're done here, you go straightly to her and I'm coming with you." She didn't ask, but decided. "What are you still doing here? Shouldn't you remain there?" Vixen noticed.

"Separating again wasn't easy, but still, I have responsibilities in here. I have to get reconciled with Ivory when it's still not too late. Besides, wyverns need our help, don't they?" He noticed. Vixen smiled with admiration.

"I wouldn't be capable of such a sacrifice, as yours right now. How are you doing this?" The black dragoness watched him curiously. Her friend shrugged in reply.

"No idea." He replied honestly.

"So, how do you feel like as father? Ten years older?" She joked.

"Ten times better." Crag corrected."At least ten." He added. "You know, you should think of starting family." He suggested.

"What? No." The black dragoness refused quickly."I'm too careless. I'd make terrible mother."

"You wouldn't." Crag disagreed.

"I would."

"Trust me, you wouldn't." And so, two dragons were rallying for some time. They didn't even notice when the others returned and they already had to go. Crag, who hadn't slept for at least thirty hours, just cursed his sleepiness and stood up, claiming to be ready for journey. Dragons continued their journey to the north, leaving behind Great Lake and Gorge and in three days, passed by the last dragon villages of the north.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15. "Touch of death"

In a journey, far away from home, time passes slowly. Even if the route isn't monotonous, after a week new trees, ponds, hills and rivers seems to be somehow familiar, not worth of being watched. The company was good, evenings spent together around the bonfire passed very quickly. But days were long, silent, accompanied only by monotonous, sleepy noise of beating wings and blowing wind, seldom sometimes interrupted by short conversations and laugh. Just almost three weeks seemed to be whole months. With time, there could be seen changing nature around them, slowly, in a subtle way, but still, noticeable. The forests were getting denser, having less and less inhabitants until finally, there were none. Atmosphere in group of dragons got nervous a little when Sable had declared them one and half week earlier that they had already passed through border to kingdoms of wyverns. Everyone felt both excitement and worries what could happen. Former Vengantimo perfectly realized it, but spared others information that if wyverns wanted them dead, chance for escape would be small at that point. Very small. If his belief in Vixen wasn't as great as it was, if he didn't know her for years, he'd never agree to go to the north. All seven dragons flew two, maybe three meters above trees. Then, Vixen raised her paw meaningfully, all sights turned at her.

"We land." She whispered, manipulating wind in such way that only they could hear her voice. Sable knew what that meant. There were intruders. All seven dragons landed at some meadow, next to them, there was small, crystal clear stream. The lightning dragon caught hilt of his sword, but he didn't take it off, only waited. He knew he was faster than any ordinary enemy. Ivory focused, prepared herself to use magic.

"We fight only if it's unavoidable." Sable reminded everyone. "Remember that we're supposed to help wyverns." Then, they heard mysterious laugh. Vixen felt creeps across her body. She had already heard this laugh. Or very familiar one. Something quite big, silver and shiny, flew between Ivory and Dante and disappeared in forest, leaving behind stripe of dark grass. The white dragoness tried to stop it with magic barrier, but it was simply too fast.

"What is it?" Tris asked, surprised. Dante watched burnt grass.

"Fire. Or electricity." The earth dragon stated.

"Impossible. There are no dragons in here." Crag disagreed.

"Who are you? What do you want? Why won't you show yourself?" Ivory started asking.

"My name is Viento de la Muerto." The male voice explained. Then, he flew between them again, this time right next to Sable who didn't even twitch. Again, flash left stripe of dead greenery behind him.

"No one touch him!" Sable ordered with demanding voice. He looked at everyone deadly seriously with grew wide eyes."Whatever happens, don't even try to stop him!"

"Didn't Cynder kill Viento?" Ivory noticed, dumbstruck. Then, they heard male laugh.

"You cannot kill Viento de la Muerto." The male voice whispered.

"Viento de la Muerto. This is how wyverns call the personification of death. They believe that death walks across this world, taking those, whose time has come. Septimo only called himself like that because of his arrogance." Sable explained, he sounded as if he was actually scared. "And anyone who Viento de la Muerto touches..." He whispered.

"...falls. His strength is being consumed, so in the end, I take him on the other side." Viento de la Muerto finished. "A dragon knows legends of wyverns. That's interesting." He noticed.

"I've not always been a dragon." Sable explained. He dropped hilt of his sword. "Just let us pass."

"You'll have to tell me your story once I take you, dragon." The male voice said.

"My apologize, but I'm not hurrying anywhere." Sable somehow managed to control his shaking paws, he even smiled slightly, as he bowed characteristically. It was one of those several moments in his entire life, when he was actually scared. Maybe was it because of all those legends he had heard as a hatchling? Stupid superstitions. He always treated those as fairy tales, but now...Vixen hissed angrily. She shown no fear.

"Come on, poser. Show yourself." Vixen stood confidently and waited. "I'm not scared of you."

"Vixen, don't..." Sable tried to stop her.

"It's just a legend. And he's just a poser." The black dragoness interrupted him.

"Young and proud." Male voice laughed. "It's such a great pity to take life of yours, youngsters. But, if you wish so..."Light flew right next to her. She felt gentle cold touch at her cheek, after second, there appeared thin bloody line. Drip of blood swam down her cheek, but she didn't even react. She was too confident to be scared of something like that, even, if after several seconds she started feeling somehow weaker and her vision blurred for several seconds.

"Stop it!" Sable shouted, not really knowing if he shouted at Vixen or Muerto.

"Do you really believe in this?" Viola asked her mate silently with disbelief.

"I prefer to believe and keep you all alive than trying him out. And even if it's just poser, look at his speed." The lightning dragon explained. The shiny light jumped next to him again. On the ground, there already were several lines of dead grass. "Vixen, don't you dare pro…"

Then, silver light jumped between Vixen and Tris. Or meant to, because then, Vixen, despite Sable's warnings, straightened her left paw and caught the mysterious stranger. What happened next, she didn't remember. As Viento de la Muerto said, she fell.

Silver light didn't slow down even a little, it disappeared in the forest quickly. The black dragoness was strongly thrown away, she literally flew for ten meters. She hit tree painfully and fell on the ground. From behind she heard silent voice.

"I warned you." Then, there was silent beating of wings, Vixen could swear it was doubled, but it was most likely illusion caused by pain. She heard scared shout of her company, her vision was blurred and head hurt terribly. But headache was nothing compared to the pain in her left paw. She raised it slowly to see what had happened. Whole her paw and big part of arm were covered in her own blood, which was soaking intensively into the ground. Then, next to her appeared Sable and Ivory.

"Don't move, Vixen." The lightning dragon pleased. "Her paw is badly wounded. We've got to clear it first." He noticed. It was covered in earth. Crag nodded and carried her to the stream several meters farther and placed gently on the ground. The lightning dragon washed her arm. He sighed with disbelief, as he saw all the damage she was given. Whole internal side of her arm to elbow was covered in densely placed short bloody lines, remaining after dozens of deep wounds she had along her arm, even at fingers, which were in the worst state. There was no square centimeter without a wound. It looked as if Viento de la Muerto had slashed every point of Vixen's body which touched him. Sable didn't know a weapon which could inflict such damage.

"It's clear." He stated. He enclosed his paw to her arm with intend to heal her. As he started, his eyes grew wide. Lightning jumping between him and Vixen, which was supposed to heal her, had no effect. In fact, bleeding was getting more and more intensive.

"Stop wasting energy. Use bandage and let it heal in natural way." Ivory advised. "Those are magical wounds, I doubt if you can do anything more about them." She explained. Crag gave Sable bandage and he started wrapping it around Vixen's arm.

"How can you know that those are magical wounds?" Viola asked curiously. She and Dante were standing on the side, watching carefully if enemy didn't decide to return.

"With her magic ability, Ivory is also a sensor. She can feel magical disorder around the wound." Crag explained. He could feel it as well, which meant that it was quite intensive. Meanwhile the earth dragon was explaining, Ivory laid her head on black dragoness's chest, listening to her heart. After several seconds, her eyes grew wide and she cursed silently. She quickly focused and started using healing magic against Vixen's chest.

"What's going on?" Sable asked, seriously scared.

"Her heart is slowing down. Whatever wounded her, it was poisoned." The white dragoness explained. Then, she hissed silently with anger. "Magic doesn't work at all." She whispered with helplessness. In that moment, Tris took small bottle with clear water inside and put several kinds of herbs from her collection. Then she shook the bottle and heated it with gentle fire from her jaws. After several seconds, it turned red and Tris handed it Ivory. Viola watched her dumbstruck, not believing that it took her less than ten seconds. She did it so ably, the azure dragoness could hardly believe she hadn't been doing that for at least thirty years.

"It will delay heart stopping, maybe even prevent it." Tris assured.

"Thanks." Ivory took the bottle and called black dragoness. "Vixen, you have to drink that." Young dragoness bobbed her head and opened her jaw slightly. Medic poured the red liquid to her mouth. Vixen curled her lips in disgust, she'd most likely spit it out, but she swallowed it somehow. Several seconds later, she lost consciousness.

"Captain, how is she?" Sable asked, seriously worried.

"Her heart rate sped up and stabilized. Nothing endangers her life as for now." The white dragoness stated. Everyone sighed with relief. "We can move on, in my opinion." She suggested.

"This is good place to sleep." Tris noticed. "We could stay here to make sure that..."

"Flight won't have bad influence on her, if we fly carefully. Besides, if disease returns and your herbs don't work again, it will be much better, if we're near wyverns. They may have some cure." Viola disagreed, quickly coming up with arguments.

"Freezer, I can hardly believe that they..." Tris tried to argue.

"No, Viola's right." Sable interrupted. His mate smiled triumphantly to the fire breather, who hissed silently and stuck out her tongue. "Waiting is pointless, the faster we reach wyverns, the better it will work for Vixen. In flight, I'll be checking her state every fifteen minutes, if something's wrong, we land immediately." Sable explained his choice.

"Ok, I'll carry her." Crag agreed. Everyone accepted the idea. No one had anything against this plan, so seven dragons hastily continued their flight.

Tris's doubts, to everyone's relief, appeared to be unreasonable. Vixen was getting better as hours were passing. Monotonous flight was very similar for her to lying on the ground after all. In fact, black dragoness even regained consciousness and conversed silently with Crag. She'd talk to others, if she was strong enough to speak loudly, which worried everyone. Dragons landed three times to check Vixen's arm and it was getting only better. At the evening, dragons found some good place for sleeping, which was a meadow with big willow in its centre. As they landed, all dragons prepared to sleep. Then, Sable informed them about something very important.

"We're just ten miles from the entrance to Celeste Tribu, maybe even less. We will reach it tomorrow, so, you'd better enjoy the sunlight as long as you can. You won't be seeing it often." The lightning dragon smiled slightly. Then, Tris's scales rapidly became pale.

"W...what do you mean?" She asked, a little dumbstruck, her voice seemed to be quite nervous.

"Don't you know?" Ivory watched her surprised. "Celeste Tribu is built underground. It's all one great cave." She explained. Tris squeaked silently. She looked, as if she'd faint any second.

"Are you alright?" Sable asked doubtfully. The fire dragoness bobbed her head gently and sat, leaning against tree, right next to her sat her mate and started whispering something to her silently.

"You'd better go sleeping, tomorrow is going to be very long day." Sable warned them.

All dragons listened to his suggestion. Tris and Dante found a comfortable place to sleep so they laid quickly and allowed sleepiness to do its job. Crag laid near to tree as well and Ivory ostentatiously chose another place, laying the farthest from that earth dragon she could, even meaningfully turning at him with her back. Before Tris and Dante fell asleep, Vixen sat next to the red dragoness.

"You're claustrophobic, aren't you?" Vixen asked her.

"Yes, I am." Tris agreed reluctantly. "Why place built underground is called celestial? I had no idea, how it would look like, I thought it'd be rather some great city, not... cave."

"It's true, Celeste Tribu is built underground, but trust me, it's completely not claustrophobic." The black dragoness assured her.

"How is that possible?" Tris watched her skeptically.

"It's hard to explain. Just wait until tomorrow." Vixen giggled childishly watching red dragoness's uncertainty. "Smile, Tris. Tomorrow begins the journey of your life." Then, she jumped in the air and landed at a thick branch of old oak.

"Are you going to sleep there?" Dante watched the black dragoness exactly above him with disbelief.

"Mhm. There's quite a lot of place in here." Vixen confirmed.

"Tell us once you fall." Tris said half-jokingly.

"You'll be the first ones to know. Not counting me, of course." The black dragoness replied with a joke as well. All three dragons laughed and after just a moment, they all fell asleep.

Sable was standing in shallow river. Fast water could reach only his knees. Behind him, there was a waterfall, wide for at least ten meters. At both shores of river, there could be seen grass and first trees started just several steps farther. Above Sable, there was beautiful, starry sky. Some rusty red thing in water almost right before the waterfall attracted his attention. It appeared to be small, broken in half sword, all over covered in rust. It looked as if it had been there for years. Sable grasped its hilt and took it from water. He straightened his arm and watched it with disbelief.

"So many years and no one took you?" He asked with disbelief. Water obviously made damage in this time, but not as serious, as expected. Sword was only covered in rust and dull. Sable swung it quickly. And then, again. Oh, this nostalgia... Then, he heard steps. Sable turned around, as from shadows of night appeared a newcomer.

"I knew you went to the waterfall." Viola said. Sable recognized her even before she said first word, gentle moonlight reflecting from water's surface allowed him to see her face. "What is this sword?" She asked curiously.

"This is the remaining of one of a pair of my blades from when I was wyvern." Sable explained. Then, he gently stuck it in the place where it had been. Meanwhile, Viola sat on the stones just a meter from waterfall, stepping carefully not to collapse into water. Her mate sat next to her and sighed deeply.

"Are you alright?" Viola asked with worries. "You seem to be stressed." Mates had already learnt to recognize when they were worried or disturbed by meaningless on surface behavior.

"I could say this same about you." Sable smiled and nuzzled her gently. "It's been sixteen years, since I used that sword for the last time, since my parents were betrayed and killed. And this is the place where I've lost sister." He explained.

"My mother... She was killed sixteen years ago as well. By wyvern from this tribe's nobility." Viola confessed. "I've never told you the details, have I?" Sable watched her, surprised.

"It's time to tell our stories at last." The lightning dragon suggested.

"Yes. I didn't tell anyone about it for too long." Viola agreed. Until now, neither of them wanted to speak about that chapter of their past, but it was the time for truth. And so, two dragons told each other stories, which, though happened so many years had passed, were going to remain in their minds forever.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16. "Goodbye, mom"

„My mother was an envoy, often travelling between the eastern city and lands of northern alliance." Viola started her story. "In time of Great War for not once she almost paid with her own life for doing this. I loved going with her everywhere, even if father was so worried about both of us." The ice dragoness smiled to memories. She hugged Sable a little stronger. "Since the war was over, I was with her at her every journey. My mum was very clever, and despite everyone's first expression, she would never allow anyone to dispose her. I was seventeen when this all happened. We had reached Celeste Tribu. This visit was surprising, but still, quite ordinary, neither me or mum expected what would happen next."

Sixteen years earlier

"My name is Principe Oscuro. I will accompany you to Throne Hall." Young wyvern, bowed before two ice dragonesses. At his back, there was his royal blade.

"My name is Crystal." Viola's mother introduced herself.

"My name is Viola." Young dragoness waited for her turn. It wasn't her first visit in there so she knew manners quite well. Wyvern kissed Viola's paw officially and smiled warmly meanwhile. Ice dragoness noticed that he was most likely her equal.

"This way." Wyvern suggested, entering one of rocky corridors, even if both dragonesses perfectly knew the route. "Traveling is much safer these days, isn't it, ladies?" Oscuro started conversation.

"Indeed." Crystal agreed. "But still, it isn't safe, especially for youngsters." She added, watching meaningfully her daughter, especially bandage covering half of her tail.

"Come on, mum, you know that I'm not going to give up on travelling with you." Viola said, begging with eyes to give up that subject. "Will we have opportunity to meet prince Sable?" She asked Oscuro. Wyvern just smiled slightly.

"I'm afraid not. Principe Sable is gone, he'll be back next week. Have you already met him?" Oscuro asked curiously.

"Nope, he leaves every time I'm in Celeste Tribu. As if he was doing that on purpose." Viola said sadly.

"How many times have you been in Celeste Tribu?" Sable asked his mate, as he nuzzled her.

"Six times, this one was seventh. And every time, you were gone exactly in that moment. What were you doing?" The ice dragoness watched her mate curiously.

"I was here and there." Sable explained himself evasively.

"That's a pity. I'd love to see you as just a little hatchling. Oh, you must have been so cute, huh?" Viola smiled slightly. Sable watched her with annoyance.

"Could you continue?" He asked, there was hint of demand in his voice. Sable, as a male, not really liked being described as cute.

"Principe Sable never was fond of policy. He seems to enjoy both medical and martial arts much more. He's a specific as for guiverno of royal blood." Oscuro explained. Viola watched him dumbstruck for several seconds, before she realized that the mysterious word meant simply "wyvern".

"That's a strange combination. Especially as for heir to the throne." Crystal noticed.

"Indeed it is, lady Crystal." The wyvern agreed, not adding anything more. Those were internal problems of tribe and he knew he should be very terse when speaking of it. He wouldn't tell those news any wyvern from other tribe, who could use it against them. But if it were dragons, living far away, he could afford some carelessness. "We're here, Señor Sueño shall be already awaiting."The wyvern stopped before a great gate, at which there were standing four heavily armored, elite soldiers, ones of the best in Celeste Tribu. Two dragonesses entered great Throne Hall. To their surprise, no one was awaiting for them, there was only one, quite old wyvern, leaning against one of pillars. It definitely wasn't king, but he had on his back long sword-attribute of royal family. The wyvern stood before them.

"My name is..."

"You're not Señor de la Tribu." Crystal noticed interrupting him. She sounded angry.

"No, but I will give you the audience. I'm one of the most important..." The wyvern tried to argue.

"This is ridiculous." The ice dragoness said to herself, loudly enough to interrupt him again.

"Excuse me, I am..."

"I am the envoy of dragon city, representing whole dragon kind and I expect due respect. Señor de la Tribu, who represents Celeste Tribu and Guiverno Allianza, promised me an audience and he will fill his promise. Now, you can send for him, guiverno. You're dismissed." Crystal said with strict voice. The wyvern watched her madly, Viola could swear that he'd attack her just like that. But then, he just hissed and turned around slowly.

"You may represent whole dragon kind, but remember, here..." He started muttering.

"If you want to say something, speak it aloud. But don't waste my time, if those are just empty threats." Old dragoness suggested. The wyvern just continued walking and left with side entrance.

"Did my father really treat you that badly?" Sable asked with disbelief.

"Do you have to interrupt me?" Viola noticed.

"Do you like when someone answers you with question?" The lightning dragon started bantering with his mate.

"Do you?" Viola quickly riposted. Both of them laughed silently. "You can't win against me." She smiled coquettishly and nuzzled him.

"Do you really believe that? By the way, there was no problem with interrupting when I was telling you my story." Sable noticed, amused. He couldn't help smiling slightly. "Anyway, continue."

"Mom, why didn't Señor de la Tribu come here?" Viola asked her mother, a little dumbstruck.

"Internal policy." Crystal explained tersely. "Wyverns opposing to king, including big part of royal family, included us, dragons, in their plans." The ice dragoness said. "Or king himself is playing with us." Crystal looked around impatiently. "We'll stay here twenty minutes. Then, with no word, we leave." She decided.

"Won't that offend king?" Viola noticed carefully.

"I am already offended by whole this situation. And since I represent dragons, not only myself, I have right to behave in such exalted way." Crystal explained.

"I see." Viola nodded with agreement. Every her mother's mission was a big lesson to her. She wondered how would wyverns react, if they simply left. But they didn't have to wait for them for very long. Señor de la Tribu came in next fifteen minutes. He entered through the main entrance, the one behind him, which through could enter only he and his mate. He stood and bowed deeply before two dragonesses. He smiled warmly to them. By his side, there was walking a little hatchling, just five years old wyverness.

"My apologize for being late. I was misled by my brother about time of our meeting. I've been having serious problem with disinformation lately. As you may recall, this is my daughter, Sonrisa." Señor smiled slightly and sat on his throne. His daughter laid down before him. Two dragonesses were, as it was decided by tradition, staying for whole time of audience. Dragonesses spent in Celeste Tribu next two days, then they left.

They were already returning, about to cross border of wyvern lands, when this happened. Two dragonesses were flying next to each other, absolutely convinced about their safety. Then, Viola heard some movement at her side. She saw metallic reflex and intended to fly away, but definitely too late. She saw edge of sword enclosing to her face, only two meters from her. There appeared an azure shape before her face and she heard nasty noise of cut flesh. She landed on the ground and watched fearfully her mother landing before her. Mysterious enemy slashed her right paw deeply and reached her clavicle, breaking it. Viola couldn't see that this blow went much deeper, damaging her lung. Blood was soaking from her shoulder and arm, she was breathing hardly, spreading her wings around Viola with protectiveness, so she couldn't see assassin. But still, she could recognize his voice.

"I wanted to kill your daughter first." That was that nameless wyvern from Celeste Tribu, the one who had been expecting them in Throne Hall. "But it looks like you're going to die in the beginning."

"Do you realize what you're doing?" Crystal asked. "Attacking an envoy, you..."

"Regain my honor. We, guivernos, are really sensitive at this point." The wyvern interrupted. "No one ever made it alive after offending me like this." Then, he swung his sword quickly. "I'll kill you, dragon."

"Come and try." The ice dragoness played very confident. She didn't have to repeat herself. Noble jumped to her, about to slash her. Crystal knew that there was something wrong about his confidence. But she realized what was it when it was already too late. She felt venom flowing through her veins. That sword was poisoned. Dragoness fell on her side, even before wyvern attacked. Noble jumped above her, swinging his blade with intend to kill Viola. Young dragoness leaned down, avoiding deadly sword for only centimeters. Then, she saw her mother's tailblade enclosing to enemy. But wyvern noticed it as well. He quickly stepped away and appeared behind the surprised teenager. The wyvern caught her throat, so he could slit it any moment and turned to Crystal with twisted joy written all over his face.

"Just as planned. Watch your brat's death, Crystal. This is the price for my pride." He said. He wanted to kill Viola, but she hit his chin with horns and caught his paws with hers, meanwhile spreading wings, releasing herself from enemy's grasp. She turned around and was about to release volley of ice, but then, wyvern squeezed strongly her throat and pressed her against ground. He started choking her. Viola could swear that he'd crush her larynx any second. Then, noble caught sight of her mother with corner of eye. She wasn't moving at all. The wyvern sighed deeply with disappointment.

"This poison works too fast." He said to himself and snorted angrily. Then, he dropped Viola, took his sword and hid it in scabbard. In next several seconds he left.

"Did he just let you go?" Sable asked with note of disbelief. "Just like that?"

"Yes." Viola confirmed sadly. "He had nothing against me, only my mother."

"And your mother? Was she..."

"No." The azure dragoness refused. She knew Sable wouldn't finish the sentence, he wouldn't say the last word. And she was so thankful to him for that. "She was alive." Tear appeared in narrow of Viola's eye. "Still." She whispered. Sable wiped out her tear, even before it started flowing down her cheek. "She only pretended dead so wyvern would let me live." She explained. "To the very end, she thought only about protecting me." The azure dragoness smiled sadly.

"What happened next?" Sable asked.

"She said her last wish. She wanted me not to avenge her, but seek for justice. She knew that I should entrust fates both mine and that wyvern's to law. She didn't want me to be consumed by darkness. And so, I kept the promise."

"It wasn't easy, was it?" Sable noticed. His voice was deprived of any curiosity in positive meaning of that word.

"Indeed. I returned to the eastern city. Soon, there was held the funeral. Even your parents themselves came for it from Celeste Tribu. From what I've heard, you've been to there as well, weren't you?" Viola noticed.

"Yes, I and Sonrisa came with them. I didn't know your mother. When I asked dad, who was she, he only said: To me, the dearest of dragons. We left the city the very next day after funeral."

"From what I heard, once Señor de la Tribu returned to his tribe, he immediately started the investigation." Viola continued her story. "It was top secret, only Señor Sueño and several other wyverns knew the murderer who was sentenced to death, by agreement of both dragons and wyverns. Even you weren't told about the guilty wyvern, were you?" The ice dragoness noticed.

"No, I wasn't." Sable agreed. "The people of our, neither other villages didn't even know that this had happened. This outrage would be very problematic for father who treated dragons with great respect. He had many friends amongst them, even if the relations of our races weren't very good because of his constant problems with nobility supporting Verdad." He explained.

"Everything was ready. Elders of the eastern city were given message confirming that murderer was already coming, so he could be executed in dragon city. But then...there fell silence." Viola said with helplessness from years before filling her heart. "From then, we've been given no message from wyverns, our envoys returned only with those words: The alliance is over. I was so mad. I wanted to fly there, to Celeste, and drag that murder to my home by myself, but father stopped me from doing anything reckless. After all, what could I change? I still remember those words of my father's; You're a just youngster, but just a youngster."

"And this is where begins my story." Sable said. His mate nuzzled him with cheek, trying to stop her tears.

Sable was laying in his bed, next to him, there was Leal, spreading her wing on him. Since she became his fiancée, they lived in this same room; it was a tradition. Then, someone slammed the door and entered to his room in the middle of night. Sable, as prince, sometimes was woke up like this, when there was something important. The wyvern raised his head and watched newcomer with impatience. It was his cousin, Oscuro.

"Sable, you'd better come." He said.

"What's going on?" Prince asked with sleepy voice.

"There's no time, I'll explain you on the way." Oscuro seemed to be in real hurry, it most likely was something very urgent. Sable sighed deeply and stood up from bed. Leal groaned with disappointment.

"Come on, Sable, you have time..." She pleased.

"Sorry, but I've got to go." Sable disagreed.

"Don't forget your swords." Oscuro suggested and his cousin watched him skeptically.

"How could I forget those?" He noticed with disbelief.

"Let's go." Oscuro suggested and left room. Being so terse was strange as for him, he was rather talkative, which meant the situation was very serious. Sable followed his cousin and two wyverns started walking hastily.

"What's going on? Why are you so stressed?" The heir to the throne asked.

"My father plans something." Oscuro explained. Sable sighed deeply. Everyone knew that Oscuro's father, Verdad, really sought for title of Señor de la Tribu, he kept planning how to make an overthrow.

"Anything more precise?" Sable pleased. His cousin only shrugged.

"No idea. But something's in the air. When you were gone, my dad was disappearing for whole days, I have no idea what he's doing. And today, around his followers there can be felt tension. As if they were preparing for something. You have to be really careful, Sable." Oscuro warned.

"Noted." Sable agreed. "Shouldn't I call my escort?" He noticed.

"No worries, as long as I'm with you, nothing endangers you." Oscuro noticed. Sable trusted his cousin, that was the only reason he agreed. "They're waiting for you in the Throne Hall." The wyvern said.

"What are they doing there?" The prince asked curiously.

"You've got to see this for yourself." Oscuro decided to don't tell him any details, but keep him in impatience. Two wyverns were walking in silence, completely absorbed with their thoughts. They entered the Throne Hall. There was great crowd of wyverns, at least three hundreds of them, standing in the circle of diameter of at least twenty meters. It was created by, on one side, followers his family's followers, surrounding Sable's mother and sister, followers of Syrius, standing around him and wyverns of Verdad, Cobro and Clavius standing on the other side. Oscuro's followers didn't come, which looked a little disturbing to Sable. In the middle of the circle, there were standing two wyverns: Verdad and Sable's father. They were standing in distance of about ten meters, both breathing hardly. Sueño was holding his red blade, his Lanzador remained in scabbard. Verdad was grasping strongly his wide, perfectly straight sword, a little longer than Sueño's, all made of grey steel. Sable quickly ran to his mother losing sight of Oscuro.

"What's going on, mom?" Young prince asked.

"Uncle Verdad challenged dad." Just five years old Sonrisa explained.

"What?" Sable asked with disbelief. If someone loses duel against Señor de la Tribu, he could be banished from the tribe for betrayal. Prince couldn't believe that Verdad decided for such a risk, especially since he was much worse sword-master than his younger brother. "How is it?"

"It started just five minutes ago." Sable's mother said. "Neither of them managed to even touch enemy. They seem to be at this level." Canta said with disbelief. "As for now." She added after several seconds, smiling confidently.

Two wyverns continued their duel. Verdad was swinging his blade with such easiness, as if it was just a light, dry stick. He was definitely faster than ever, swinging blade madly, Sueño could barely stop hail of blows. Verdad tried to sting his enemy. Señor de la Tribu stuck his blade into ground, stopping blow. In this same moment, he took off both blades of Lanzador and, before his rival reacted, swung them crosswise. At wyvern's forehead, there appeared bloody X-shaped mark. He cursed silently and jumped back.

"You will never be as skilled as I am. Just give up, let me spare your life." Señor de la Tribu pleased.

"Time will show, Sueño." The wyvern replied and jumped to his brother. He swung his blade horizontally at height of enemy's chest. But Sueño just slipped next to his brother and slashed with both blades Verdad's arm deeply. In the air, there appeared two lines of dense, dark red blood. Sueño quickly stepped away for several steps, narrowed his, crimson with blood now, blades. He slowly turned around and watched his brother carefully. Verdad's arm was unable to move. He couldn't hold his great sword with only one paw, so it fell on the ground. He was bleeding intensively, his arm and wing weren't chopped off only because of Sueño's mercy.

"Finish this, spare the shame." Señor de la Tribu pleased. Verdad just hissed angrily.

"Never!" He shouted. The wyvern started running to his brother. Sueño's eyes grew wide, as Verdad sped up, jumping away from his sight in the very moment the king blinked. How could he be that fast? He appeared right behind Sueño who turned around, hearing his presence. Señor de la Celeste Tribu felt pain at side of his neck. Then, there was warmth flowing from below his jaws down the chest. It was his own blood. Señor de la Tribu didn't even notice when his brother slit his throat. Sueño dropped his swords and slowly fell on the ground.

"Sueño!" Canta shouted with horror in her eyes. Sable watched sinister laugh appearing at his uncle's lips with disbelief. Sonrisa started crying silently. Verdad pointed at them.

"Kill them." He ordered. His followers rapidly started running to them, guards of Sable's family prepared for a battle. Canta, wearing two little scabbards at her arms, drawn wavy daggers, her royal weapon.

"Syrius! Stand on my side!" The wyverness ordered. Together with his forces, they couldn't lose. More, they'd crush Verdad who dared… But then, her eyes grew wide. "Syrius..." She whispered with disbelief. Syrius, always loyal to them, just turned around and left, his solders joined Verdad. Canta understood everything. It all was perfectly planned. She knew they couldn't make it alive. "Sable, take Sonrisa and run." She ordered.

"But..." Sable tried to disagree.

"Save yourselves!" Canta shouted at them. Sable nodded obediently. He realized what was their situation as well. "Take her to Esteralldo Tribu! Understood?!" The prince bobbed his head once.

"Farewell, mom." He whispered.

"Goodbye, mom." Sonrisa, being taken on her brother's back, said. She knew they would never meet again. Several tears left her eyes.

"Good luck, children." She whispered when two wyverns were already quickly flying away. Four wyverns tried to fly next to Canta and follow the prince. Wyverness's daggers flashed in the air, all four of them fell dead, before they even noticed. She watched Verdad madly. He disappeared from her sight as her guards surrounded her. She knew she would die, but she promised herself to take as many of his elite followers with her as she could. She definitely did succeed.

Sable was flying with his sister at his back madly through so well known for him corridors, ignoring all passersby, easily avoiding all guards. His heart was getting crazy, as he flew to the last corridor. There was the escape, the great stone gate, his only hope. He sighed with relief, as he saw that it was miraculously wide open. He noticed two guards who intended to stop him. Sable landed and while running took off his blades. Two wyverns stood no chance, prince literary ran through them, hiding quickly blades, jumping in the air and continuing flight. As they left Celeste Tribu, there fell silence. In the night, forest was supposed to live life to fullest and yet, it seemed to be dead. Two wyverns were flying quickly. Neither of them spoke a word. Sonrisa cried silently, slowly realizing, what had happened. Sable wanted to stop her tears, but he couldn't find the right words. And so, time was passing.

It had been already several hours. Sun started showing, its first rays were already reaching two sorrowful wyverns. Then, he heard silent singing. It was his sister. She always loved singing, she took it after her mother. Both of them always sung when they were sad.

"This is the darkest night,

Stars have all faded away...

Quiet upon this world." Sad, silent song left lips of little wyverness. Sable smiled sadly. She perfectly chose it. Or maybe was it the only she remembered?

"Through the clouds there is a light...

We will find our way." Sonrisa continued. Her voice started filling with hope. Then, Sable joined her.

"There is an open door...

Somehow it feels so familiar...

We have been here before." Singing, even if it was a very trivial action, brought relief to their hearts. And so, they kept singing.

"Through this old, forgotten land,

There must be a way..." In that moment, Sable rapidly interrupted song and rolled at side, avoiding deadly surprise attack only for centimeters. Prince landed in shallow stream, ending with waterfall only about ten meters behind him. He put Sonrisa at river bank and ordered to hide. She obediently ran to some bushes. Then, before him, there stood his enemy. Sable recognized him. That was Cobro, his cousin, the oldest son of Verdad. The wyvern was wearing whole collection of four swords, he took off two of them. Sable drawn his swords as well.

"Why don't you invite your little sister? She doesn't have to hide in bush." Cobro noticed, grinning ominously. "You'll die anyway."

"Sonrisa, ran to the east." Sable pleased and pointed her direction where she had to go.

"Sable!" She shouted, disagreeing.

"Run, Sonrisa!" Prince screamed with demanding voice.

"But..." She tried to argue.

"Run!" Sable shouted. Youngster watched him, scared. Her brother had never shouted at her. Sonrisa nodded and disappeared in forest. Sable turned, to watch him. The wyvern, who he hated at most. The one, who he could blame for death of whole his family. Cobro. "You and Verdad planned that, didn't you?" Sable asked scornfully. "Oscuro wouldn't join you and Clavius doesn't really care about policy."

"True. Are you really ready to die for that little brat who would steal you the title of Señor de la Tribu? You know that your father preferred her than you." Cobro asked with disbelief.

"Does it matter anymore?" Sable noticed. "Don't misunderstand me, I won't be the one to die."

"Any last wish, Sable?" The wyvern suggested, grinning in sinister way.

"Why did you do this? Don't you have honor?! Morality?! Couldn't you stop after killing my dad, but decided to attack my mother and me as well?!" He heard no answer. "You already had crown in your bloody paws!" Sable shouted. "Why haven't you..."

"And why should I?" Cobro noticed, brutally honest. The prince stopped speaking in half of sentence. "Once your family is dead, I'm sure about becoming next Señor de la Tribu. I hate you from the bottom of my heart, Sable, but this is nothing personal." Cobro explained. "It's only good business."

"Nothing personal?" Sable repeated slowly with disbelief. He was mad. "Nothing personal?! You murdered my parents, you banish me from my own tribe, you intend to kill my only sister and you have nerve to say it's nothing personal?!" He shouted. Sable drawn his sword and aimed with its point at Cobro. In his eyes, there glowed red light of fury. "No, Cobro, this is deadly personal." He took the second blade and started running to the wyvern, edges of swords were slipping across water's surface, he was howling madly. Cobro took his swords.

"Let's finish this." He whispered and started running. As they reached each other, mad fight began. Both of them were very fast and dexterous. They were swinging their blades madly, quickly, drips of water of stream lifted by edges of their swords were flying everywhere. They were jumping forward and back, forward and back, until Sable stood on the verge of waterfall. Two wyverns fought as if they were some demons, enjoying this twisted pleasure of their blindly furious fight, waiting for an opportunity of killing blow and yet, unable to even touch enemy. Sable managed to break two of Cobro's swords. Those weren't strong ones, he had to just attack at right degree. Cobro already had two others in his paws. Then, he stung, aiming at Sable's left shoulder. Prince blocked the blow with side of his sword. Surprisingly, his sword broke and Cobro pierced through his shoulder, breaking bones painfully. Sable dropped broken sword. His enemy tried to attack him again, but he blocked blow with other sword. Meanwhile, Cobro caught falling piece of sword and stuck it in Sable's belly. The prince dropped his second sword and lost balance. His enemy put a paw on his shoulder.

"Farewell." Cobro pushed him and Sable fell down the waterfall, disappearing from his sight. The wyvern leaned to watch his enemy. Then, he saw reflex of light. It was half of Sable's sword, which flew up to Cobro. The wyvern tried to dodge it, but it slashed his face, not blinding him, but leaving nasty wound. Then, Sable felt he fell into water.

There passed maybe a week, maybe it was only several hours, when he heard some voices. He felt warm sand beneath him and sun shining on him. He was half sleeping, the voices weren't clear, but he could recognize them.

"What will we do about him, Master Bolt?" A young female voice asked. Sable guessed she was his equal, but by smell he recognized she was dragon.

"Heal him, Ivory." Much older than her male, most likely father or teacher, suggested her.

"But he's a wyvern!" The dragoness refused with disbelief.

"So what? Dragon, wyvern, is there any difference?" Master Bolt asked.

"Wyverns are enemies of our race. I shouldn't heal him." She explained. If Sable could speak, he would disagree with that superstition, many dragons didn't know that northern wyverns were allied with them.

"Tell it him in that case." The dragon called Bolt suggested.

"No wait..." Ivory tried to stop him from doing something. Sable heard someone stepping right next to him. Then, he felt electrifying pain, which woke him up rapidly. He opened eyes and watched young white dragoness. Their sights met for a second. And she made her choice. "Don't move, wyvern. I'll heal you." The wyvern felt warmth of magic around his shoulder and belly, which quickly brought him relief.

"Was that really Ivory?" Viola asked with disbelief. Sable bobbed his head once. "What was she doing there?"

"As she said, it was a frequent practice for her master to take his students somewhere far, far away and there learn them round the clock, helping in some villages, sometimes healing animals found in the forest. And back then Celeste Tribu had not so bad relations with Teria." Sable explained.

"Does she know that she has saved you?" The azure dragoness watched curiously her mate.

"Yes, I didn't even have to tell her about it. She realized that after less than a week after we came to Warfang ."

"So, what happened once she healed you?" Viola asked.

"I still had broken arm, I've lost both my swords and couldn't fly."

"That's one of your swords, isn't it?" Viola noticed, pointing broken sword stuck in the river bottom.

"Yes." Sable confirmed.

"What happened with the second one?" She asked.

"Cobro most likely stole it. He loves collecting blades. But I digress. In my state, I gave up on idea of going to Esteralldo Tribu, but started searching for Sonrisa, believing that she was still alive. I lived in this forest for five years, still looking for her, blindly believing that she still could be there, blaming myself for everything. Then, I joined Venganza. The rest... you know the rest, don't you?" Sable finished.

"Yes, I do." Viola agreed. "So, tomorrow, we shall face our past, huh?"

"Indeed." Sable agreed and kissed his mate. He hugged her strongly having feeling that it was their last so peaceful, careless night for long time.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 18. "Banquet"

When the banquet began, the sun had already set low on Warfang. The city was silent and dark. Candice sat on balcony and watched the city in silence, interrupted only by heavy rain, which was falling for already at least hour. Through clouds, she couldn't see even one star. The other matter was that through the heavy rain she couldn't see at least clouds. It was already night and ice guardian would most likely fall asleep, if sudden lightning right next to her didn't wake her up.

"Wow, that was close." She heard voice behind her. It was Tremor. For once, she couldn't disagree with him, since lightning hit cobblestones only two hundreds meters from their house, so she said nothing. "Tired?" The earth guardian guessed, smiling with pity.

"Yeah." Candice agreed and yawned deeply. They had so much work currently... "Nasty weather. It keeps on like this since they've left." The ice dragoness noticed. Tremor watched her, smiling slightly.

"I doubt if they have anything to do with that." The earth guardian nuzzled her gently.

"Are kids already sleeping?" Candice asked.

"Yes, both..." Tremor stopped in half of sentence. "All three of them." He corrected himself. "Girls have nothing against Flush sleeping in their room."

"And does Flush?" The ice guardian noticed skeptically. Tremor laughed aloud and shook his head with amusement.

"No worries, they spared him kissing, they do it only to Zap after all." The earth dragon refused.

"And you keep supporting them in doing that." Candice noticed with annoyance. Tremor just shrugged, as if telling: How can I help it?

"You're worried about them, aren't you?" He didn't ask, but stated and Candice knew he didn't mean youngsters.

"When they were still in Warfang, this idea seemed to be so good. But now... What does Ivory think she's doing? She has little Flush, she should be with him not far, far away. She's not only medic, she's also mother and such a journey..." Candice said, indignant.

"You know that she's doing it because it's her duty as medic, if she wasn't..." Tremor tried to argue, but he stopped speaking as he watched his mate carefully. He realized what was the real problem. "You're scared about her magic." In guardian's voice, there could be heard gentle note of question.

"Ivory hides in her heart so much hatred to wyverns... You remember what happened in that cave five years ago, don't you?" Candice noticed. Tremor nodded slowly. Ivory's fury wasn't something that could be easily forgotten.

"This may happen again, am I wrong?" The earth guardian felt creeps across his body in the moment he thought of that. It would be slaughter.

"Yes, it may happen." The ice dragoness agreed silently. "Dear ancestors, why haven't I gone with her..."

"She must learn to control it all alone. We can't keep watching after her." Tremor noticed. "Indeed, it will be hard, but I believe that she will succeed, don't you?" He watched his mate curiously. Candice sighed deeply.

"I'm not so sure. But all that remains for me to do, is to believe in her, isn't it?" The ice guardian noticed. How much she'd give to be right next to Ivory, to control her.

Seven dragons entered the Throne Hall. It was long for about one hundred fifty meters and wide for fifty meters. There were two rows of columns going through the whole hall at its sides, every ten meters. They were thick for two meters and reached the very ceiling, which was fifteen meters higher. Ivory watched the ceiling, fascinated. She felt magic flowing through her veins, her eyes started glowing a little stronger than usually. Those mysterious writings above her head... She couldn't read it and yet, she knew what was it, as if she knew it since ever. "Time and space are under shield, keeping their secrets unrevealed." Ivory whispered silently, but it sounded as if she wasn't the one to speak, rather some spirit within her. She could feel these words with whole her body. "Space shall be bent." She added. She wanted to read more, but she had problems with that, she couldn't focus on theses escaping letters. Those runes... they explained secrets of magic. Her eyes jumped on the other side of ceiling. She could see complicated drawing describing how to manipulate it with arm. She was consuming greedily all the information she could. What was it doing there? Did she really care about that? This knowledge...

"Ivory?" Sable watched her carefully. "What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"Watching those writings on the ceiling." White dragoness explained.

"What writings?" The lightning dragon watched ceiling, but he saw nothing, only dark stone. "Whatever, come on." He suggested. Ivory watched the ceiling once more. It was magic. Pure, clear magic, unreachable for... for normal dragons. Why Sable couldn't see it? He could use magic as well. What was difference between them? Blood of Lian in her veins?

All dragons were pointed to sit before long and wide table in its middle, but quite close to Verdad and, as tradition told, the more important guests were, the closer to Señor de la Tribu they sat. As Sable knew, table had one hundred twenty places and one for king, who would enter as the last one. As they were introduced to wyverns, who had already came, Sable and Viola sat on ornamental pillows oppositely to Oscuro and Luna.

"Why so low, Oscuro?" Sable asked, honestly surprised. They were about twenty places from the beginning of the table.

"I've lost many followers because of falling in love with Luna. And I not always agree with my father." The prince explained without hint of sadness. "Look at Clavius. That's something interesting." He suggested. That wyvern was sitting five, maybe six places from Verdad. Sable watched with disbelief two purple swords at his back. That was his father's Lanzador.

"He's quite close to Verdad." Viola noticed with note of disbelief.

"And he has Lanzador. How did he do that?" Sable asked, aghast.

"Cobro and his mate sit at king's sides and there's no surprise about it, but he? He's practically no one here, just a few followers, no position, no idea about policy." Oscuro described his younger brother.

"How did he do that?" Sable repeated his question.

"He's terrible lickspittle, the most loyal follower of Cobro. Thanks to that, he was given both Lanzador and position in tribe, which he simply wouldn't be able to keep for himself. I feel urge to vomit every time I hear his voice. Pathetic, isn't he?" Oscuro explained.

"True." Sable agreed. A prince being a minion to another prince? He could find no other word. Right then, next to Sable sat Vixen and oppositely to her, next to Luna, sat Crag. After several seconds, Ivory was literally forced to sit next to Vixen. She had nothing against black dragoness, she liked her after all, but sitting practically oppositely to Crag? She ostentatiously ignored the earth dragon. To everyone's surprise, Dante and Tris didn't join them. They were told to sit several places farther, between some wyvern nobles. Dante and Sable's sights met, the earth dragon sent him silent request, but medic only shrugged helplessly. It was only Verdad's choice, he had no influence on that at all, neither Oscuro did.

"Perfect. Verdad is playing with you from the very first day." The prince sighed deeply.

"He wouldn't be himself if he didn't." Luna noticed.

"What does he want to achieve?" Ivory asked curiously. Crag opened his jaws to give an answer, but then, the white dragoness electrified him with eyes glowing with azure light madly. The medic perfectly understood suggestion, subtle as a meteor, after all.

"He wants to point them out their age, inform them that he treats them as less worth of his attention than you. But the most important point, possibly the only one, is to show that he not really cares about our plans here. We're here only to fill his will." Sable explained, feeling that his blood was boiling.

"Save your anger for standing face to face with him." Viola suggested.

"I don't even consider doing this today. I'll show him that I'm not his puppet." Sable replied, grinning ominously.

"Won't it be too insulting?" The azure dragoness noticed doubtfully.

"No, it will be clear, strong message." Oscuro, real authority in wyvern policy and manners, even as for prince, assured her. "Father will understand it the right way, trust me. And even if not, he's not in a position to turn his back on you. You are, but not him. You have no idea how disturbed he is." Then, all conversations stopped. Señor de la Tribu entered through door made especially for him. Verdad stood at his place. He was an old, very well built wyvern with scars covering his body. From his eyes there was glowing stubbornness and confidence. He looked as if he was born to be the king, unbendable to anyone's will.

"The banquet shall begin!" He shouted in wyvern's language, which Vixen translated quickly to Ivory and Crag. Then, servants brought on silver plates food. There were many kinds of meat, salads, soups, new tastes and new aromas, which Ivory couldn't even describe or call. And so, minutes were slowly passing. Sable, Viola and Vixen had no problem in talking with other guests, especially not with Oscuro and Luna. Ironically, the most embarrassed dragons were not Dante and Tris, but Ivory and Crag. Both of them conversed silently, with other guests somehow, but they felt really awkward because of how close they were. Crag could freely say that he felt endangered. His heart didn't intend to bother itself with slowing down. Ivory had serious problems with controlling magic flowing through her veins. Especially in that hall, filled with such a spiritual energy. Dante and Tris found themselves perfectly fitting to the wyvern nobility. The fire breather was chit-chatting and giggling silently with some wyverness her age. And Dante quickly bought himself respect of wyverns using their own, native language, maybe not perfectly, but quite well. He was talking zealously with several wyverns about strategy, especially an ambitious captain, ex-medic, almost twice older than him, who was sitting oppositely to him. With time, those two started arguing this intensively so others only watched. They even used parts of fruits and vegetables to draw on a table the map of forest and meadows. Dante had a dragon army, captain called Celo controlled twice bigger wyvern army, absolutely sure of his victory.

"Now, the rest of my army runs down the hill, to crush your left wing, made of only earth dragon. Farewell them, Dante. That's your end." The wyvern moved several pieces of apples towards little green fruits.

"I withdraw them." Dante decided, pushing his units back into the forest, made of broccolis, meanwhile, wyvern turned around, so he couldn't see rival's movements, only the effects. It allowed them to cause an effect of surprise for once in a time. Dante was very focused, so he didn't even try to rhyme. He watched carefully the battlefield. The most of his units were already fighting, just like Celo's. But his position was much worse.

"I pull my units forward." Celo decided, his soldiers followed earth dragons. It was Dante's turn. Young earth dragon grinned.

"Haven't you noticed it?" He asked with disbelief.

"Noticed what?" Celo watched him dumbstruck.

"You've lost." The wyvern sitting next to him explained. Then, Dante lifted broccolis at left from earth dragons and a little before them. There were hidden many ice dragons, who attacked backs of wyverns, slaughtering them, before wyverns' fight really started. This same happened with the most of main wyvern forces.

"No, no." The wyvern watched with disbelief blueberries destroying his apples. They stood no chance. "Fuck!" He cursed, definitely too loudly than he should. Several guests watched him with disgust. "I pull back." He decided quickly, withdrawing leaders, staying on the hill to near forest. Then, Dante showed what was in the forest where Celo intended to hide. Lemon slices. Fast like electricity units of lightning dragons, with tenfold numeral advantage. "How did he..." Celo watched situation with disbelief.

"No hostages." Dante interrupted him, taking a slice of pear, symbolizing Celo, and eating it. "This is the end." Dante declared, grinning triumphantly and with note of insolence. All wyverns watching battle started clapping, congratulating young winner, even Ivory jerked her head curiously to see what was that noise.

"Dante, the earth dragon won battle game against Celo at on his favorite battlefield." Some wyvern noble explained.

"Against Celo? " Oscuro asked with disbelief. "Is that possible?" He asked and wyvern confirmed. "Where did you get him from?" The prince watched Sable and Viola curiously.

"We looked here and there." Sable explained and his mate poked his shoulder. "What?"

"You looked for Dante?" She asked skeptically.

"Whatever." Sable just shrugged, not wanting her to fall into an argument he had not even the slightest chance to win. Oscuro just laughed.

"He's a wise dragon, isn't he?" The wyvern noticed.

"Yes, if only he wasn't rhyming..." Sable wished.

"Sable, I need to ask you for a favor." Prince's voice immediately became deadly serious.

"What is it?" The lightning dragon watched him curiously. Sudden changes of subjects would sometimes happen to him.

"In the forests of Celeste Tribu, there appeared Viento de la Muerto. I can't believe it's death himself, but still, it keeps killing guivernos from my forces, searching for his main target." Oscuro was really stressed when he spoke those words.

"Which is?" Viola watched him carefully.

"Me." The wyvern explained.

"We've met Viento de la Muerto while travelling here. I even touched him." Vixen joined the conversation. Then, Oscuro smiled triumphantly.

"Which means he's just a poser." He noticed.

"I'm not so sure about this. Vixen only touched him and her arm was all over in intensively bleeding wounds, for unknown reason her heart started slowing down in that very moment, the magic appeared to be completely useless." Sable explained. "I still don't know what to think about this."

"If not Tris's alchemy, I'd be dead by now." Vixen added.

"Alchemy? Could you give me a recipe of that elixir?" Oscuro pleased.

"I'll ask Tris about it and I'll send you it tomorrow." Sable promised.

"Thank you." Oscuro sighed with relief. "That will be very helpful."

Then, another song came to its end. Orchestra made longer pause, most likely one of musicians was still looking for his notes. Then, there suddenly started another melody. Sudden, shrill noise of stringed instrument was so loud that Viola stopped talking and flinched, scared a little. There played only one wyvern, his fingers were jumping across the strings madly. The notes were short, sudden and yet, melodious, so everyone stopped talking and watched musician curiously. Musician started speeding up, even if no one believed it was possible. Viola tried to follow paw pulling strings, but she gave up after just a second, worried, if she wouldn't get nystagmus. Suddenly he fell silent. But just for a second. There could be heard low and quite pulls of string, a little louder than a whisper. Then, sounds started escalating, slowly getting both higher and louder. From sixth string he jumped to the fifth, then, there came fourth. After several seconds, there have already passed third and second one, only the first remained. At last, sounds of the highest string started slowing down and there remained only silent echo of the music. In the end, there came two loud, sudden chords, finishing the melody. All wyverns started standing up, it was sign for the second part of banquet to begin. Dragons stood up slowly, Crag and Ivory immediately walked in completely opposite ways. Ivory started talking with some unknown to her wyvern and Vixen quickly appeared on Crag's side after slipping beneath the table stealthily. Sable and Viola stood up as well, when Oscuro with Luna on his side called them.

"See you soon, Sable. We have to talk with father." The prince explained. Both dragons nodded with understanding and bided them goodbye. They walked away and were about to start conversation with some noble.

"Novio!" Sable heard a female amused shout. He knew this voice. Besides, there was only one wyvern who could call him like that. Even if he was sure she was dead. Then, he turned around only to be kissed lovingly by some wyverness, a little older than him. She was wearing a blue thin blade on her side. Viola watched that situation even more shocked than Sable himself. But she reacted quickly, slapping wyverness so strongly in her face that she simply had to drop Sable. The wyverness stepped back, on her cheek appeared three little bloody spots. She and dragoness hissed at each other hatefully.

"What do you think you're doing kissing my..." Viola asked, but she was interrupted.

"Yours? What are you talking about? He's mine..." The wyverness argued.

"Kiss my tail, you..." The azure dragoness was about to insult her.

"Girls, enough." Sable interrupted them, standing between them. He sent Viola pleasing sight. He always thought that Viola hated Tris, but what about that wyverness? It was hard to find words to describe her hatred towards the wyverness whose name she didn't even know yet.

"Viola, this is my ex-fiancée, Leal. Leal, this is Viola, my mate." Sable introduced females to each other. The wyverness watched the azure dragoness, who grinned meanwhile. She was completely dumbstruck.

"You're his mate?" Leal asked with disbelief.

"True and only love. And mother of his children." Viola confirmed. "Twins, Arriate and Ñeque, they're five by now." She added, just in case Leal didn't manage to ask her about it. The wyverness didn't know what to say.

"Dear ancestors, this all have messed up terribly, don't you think?" Leal noticed finally. She showed almost no sign of stress.

"True." Sable agreed with no doubts. "I was sure that you had been killed. But you're fine and you even managed to remain in the royal family." He noticed, watching her curiously. The wyverness just grinned.

"Cobro, that moron." She explained. "He always was crazy about me, don't you remember? I'm his mate now. It bought me a good position in Celeste Tribu."

"Cheap who..." The azure dragoness wanted to insult her, but, to her great disappointment, she was interrupted by her mate.

"So now, you're princess again, huh?" Sable smiled. Leal, just like Oscuro, was very talented politician. He guessed that quite many of Cobro's wyverns truly followed her. With such a mate, she had all that she needed: influence in Celeste Tribu.

"Again. And in three months, maybe six, I'll become queen." She explained.

"I doubt, if Verdad's hurrying to his grave." Viola noticed skeptically.

"You know, broken wing in accident and then falling down the Core... It can happen to anyone." The wyverness said, watching azure dragoness meaningfully. Far too meaningfully. Sable coughed, attracting her attention. "Sorry, I didn't mean..." She tried to apologize.

"No, you did mean Viola." The lightning dragon refused firmly.

"True, I did." Leal confirmed, there was no point in lying after all. "How could I not? I love you to death after all. We share this same fate, stop running away from it. I can't wait to be your queen, to sit on throne at your side, grasping your paw and watching you lovingly. And you know what? Cobro won't be home this night. If you want to, we could have our first time..." She offered, not bothering herself with caring about hissing madly Viola. "See you, novio." She bowed to them and walked away before any of completely dumbstruck dragons said a word.

"What means novio?" Viola asked slowly. She still couldn't understand why she hadn't jumped to that wyverness's throat. Right, manners…

"Friend." Sable explained. He decided to spare her knowledge that it was "boyfriend".

"I wish she had died that morning sixteen years ago." Viola confessed. She felt her blood was boiling "And this night, you're not leaving my side for even a second."

"Fine." Sable agreed, greening. He knew she trusted him, but only didn't know what Leal was capable of.

"I'm not joking." The azure dragoness was deadly serious.

"Do I laugh?" Her mate asked, barely stopping himself from doing it. He kissed her lips conciliatory. The azure dragoness smiled slightly and kissed him back. Every opportunity was good for it. Even better one when Leal was looking at them.

About an hour after the confrontation with the princess, the mates eventually had to separate, even despite Viola's disappointment. It didn't happen by their will, it was just that there were very many wyverns that wanted to talk with Sable or Viola or sometimes both of them and if they wanted to return to their apartment before the dawn, they had to separate. Still, they regularly kept catching sight of each other and sending each other kisses, even to greater fury of Leal's who kept watching the couple despite having her own conversations as well. Viola was talking to an old noble that had known her mother, when she heard some male voice behind her.

"I assume you wouldn't mind me having a conversation with the young dragoness?" The wyvern asked. The noble just nodded slightly.

"Of course, my king. I've enjoyed our conversation, Viola." The noble said.

"So have I." The azure dragoness assured and the wyvern walked away. Then, she turned to the king and lowered her head before him slightly.

"Good evening, Viola." Verdad smiled to her slightly.

"Good evening, king Verdad." The dragoness greeted him and watched him carefully. He was different that she would remember him. The king was already turning sixty, but he looked very well, he was of athletic build of body. He had dark blue eyes. Viola could read from those that he was really wise and careful; it wouldn't be easy to trick him, if she would mean to. At his left arm and wing, he had a great scar after his last duel against Sable's father. He had quite delicate feature of face that would give expression of a calm and good-hearted person. It was the Celeste Tribu's royal family's feature; Sable and his father had similar lines as Verdad, but Viola realized she couldn't trust the appearance; the king wasn't a merciful or forgiving. At his back, there was the silver blade; the attribute of royal blood.

"I hope you do enjoy the banquet?" Verdad wondered.

"I certainly do. How could I not?" The ice dragoness paid him a beautiful smile. She opened her jaws, but not really knew what to say. In the worst possible moment, she was speechless. She would rather to avoid any serious issues when there was no Sable on her side and she could not really find any trivial subject she could ask about.

"You seem strained." The king noticed. "There is no need to feel stressed, young dragoness."

"It has been quite long since my last visit here. I'm full of apprehensions if I know how to behave properly in front of the nobility and especially the king himself." She explained with apologizing voice.

"Don't be, Viola. Relax and enjoy this night. Of course, I would love to discuss the details of your visit now, but you have just finished really long and surely exhausting journey. I wouldn't like to be tiring you even more." He assured. In that moment, the king heard someone calling him. "Oh, I'm afraid I have to leave you now. I need to have a word with my close friend. My apologize."

"Of course, I don't mind at all." The azure dragoness bobbed her head once. "I'm glad that we could talk tonight, even if this shortly."

"It's been a pleasure to me as well." Verdad said and both of them bowed before each other slightly. Then they went in opposite ways; Viola headed back to the table. She sat by Ivory to have a breather from constant conversations.

"You've been talking to the king, as I see." The medic noticed.

"Yes, I have." The azure dragoness blushed intensively. "Dear ancestors, I had no clue how to behave, I couldn't start any conversation. I must have looked like an idiot to him."

"Don't be so stressed. You exaggerate, as for me. And even if so, you'll quickly prove him that he's wrong in time of negotiations about the alliance." Ivory argued. Viola smiled slightly.

"Yeah, the next time I will be prepared." She agreed.

Sable had just finished his conversation with father's old friend when some wyvern, his equal most likely, appeared right before him. He recognized him right away, even despite not seeing him for last sixteen years. No, he definitely wouldn't forget him.

"Cobro." Sable hissed hatefully feeling his blood boil.

"Sable." The prince muttered silently. Those two looked deeply into each other's eyes. Cobro definitely had changed; he grew up, looked really mature and confident. His red eyes were quite dark, there was a vertical scar after Sable's sword crossing his left eye, but not having damaged it. The wyvern had brought all three of his swords; his original, green blade, some not really long red sword and Sable's old silver sword.

"What do we have here? I've heard rumors, but I didn't expect you to look… like this." The prince noticed with scorn. He watched the dragon very carefully.

"I won't explain myself to you." The dragon replied coldly.

"I don't even want to hear that." Cobro kept looking in Sable's eyes. "You even got rid of red eyes, the sign of the royal blood." He sounded really angry; Sable and Cobro were only two living members of royal family who had or used to have red eyes. The prince couldn't believe anyone would dare to give up on this feature. "It's unforgivable, Sable. Unforgivable."

"I don't expect neither want anything from you, especially not forgiveness." Sable noticed coldly.

"And you even dared to have offspring. You let the royal blood of Celeste Tribu flow in dragons' veins. Such a thing should not take a place. Such a mistake should be corrected, even if it meant finishing lives of…" Cobro seemed very angry.

"Don't you even dare to say it aloud." Sable hissed hatefully, feeling furious already. "If you try to harm any of my children, anyone close to me, I promise, I will kill you with my bare paws." He assured. Then, he turned around and walked away. "We're done, Cobro." Sable said coldly. He had nothing more to tell the prince. The wyvern just smiled slightly.

"We're not, Sable. We're definitely not." He whispered to himself.

Several hours later, Ivory had already left the banquet. She stopped to watch moonlight falling through the ceiling of Core. She was sitting like that, fascinated with it for long time already. She wished she knew who had enchanted that cave. Such a power, for all those years effect didn't even start fading... It was beyond her. She would need thousands years to achieve such potential. Or maybe... Those writings? Watching them, she was awakening some power within her soul. If only she had at least a day or two to analyze those... She still felt effects of that glimpse. She could feel the power in her. She was in very good mood, she met many interesting wyverns, even one wyvern with who he argued about eye surgeries, subject very complicated, perfect subject for discussions. And she completely forgot about Crag, that cursed...

"Ivory." The white dragoness felt creeps across whole her body. It was him. She turned around. Her eyes started glowing with evil light.

"Control magic in your right arm." She heard voice of her... heart? She involuntarily covered right arm with azure aura with such easiness as never before. Crag didn't stop. He wasn't scared of her. She could see in his eyes that he was scared of death, but didn't fear her at all. Did he doubt that she would kill him?

"Ivory. I'm sorry." It was honest remorse, not a lie. "I know that you loved Flush and I shouldn't have even tried to..." Crag didn't notice when this happened. But after several seconds, he was lying on the verge of rocky ledge, watching down the Core, into eternal darkness. Ivory was holding his wing with right, enchanted paw, and second one placed on his back. If she wanted, she'd tear his wing off any second, now, she only gave him pain. Crag squeaked painfully, completely surprised. He knew that if Ivory straightened her paw, he'd both lose his wing and fall down the Core. With only one wing left... It would be long and yet, quick way down.

"Love, sorry, Flush, Ivory, those words leave your jaws so easily even if you have no idea what those truly mean!" Ivory shouted madly. "What they are!" Ivory was grasping his wing so strongly that blood started soaking from it slowly. "Why don't you just disappear?" Crag didn't say word. The white dragoness hissed deeply. "Why do you seek death?!" She asked with disbelief.

"All I seek is forgiveness." Crag replied. Then, Ivory dropped him and pulled behind herself.

"You'll be given none." The white dragoness said coldly, turning around. Emotion disappeared, but there remained cold hatred. "This time, I'll spare your life. But I do it for the last time. Next time, at the very next opportunity, I'll kill you." Ivory said and walked away, disappearing in shadows of cave. Crag sighed with relief. He thanked ancestors for being alive. But still, he didn't expect apologizing Ivory to be that hard.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 19. "Audition"

Sudden, metallic noise woke her up. She saw only darkness. Right, she was blind after all. She could smell blood in corners of her eyes. How many days? Or maybe those were months or years? She was sitting in a small rocky room, around her, there was a nasty stench of mustiness and moisture. She was in a cell, she knew that even though she had never seen it. She could hear voices of prisoners, sitting in other cells, encouraging her to come closer to them, so they could reach with their dirty paws through cell bars. Damn perverts. Her, little, lachrymose, blind, fifteen… or so… years old dragoness trying to drown herself in her own blood. How could anyone wish to hurt her even more? She wished she could slash her own throat. If only not those strange rocks covering her paws and tailblade... She could always bite her veins with sharp teeth, but two guards kept watching her round the clock, so they'd notice it without a problem. Thinking about this, she heard noise of her opening cell. Some silent voice in her heart told her to at least try to fight or escape the torturer, maybe she would even die, but her reason quickly suppressed this thought. First day... or maybe night? Or maybe after the first month… Whatever. Once she involuntarily jumped to the corner of cell, hitting it with her own head. After several months, in her mind appeared idea of killing herself hitting wall with her head. It worked until she lost consciousness and medics saved her. Why?! Couldn't they just let her go?! What did she live for?! She wanted to scream so badly, but then, a guard would always come to cell and silent her. The first, and only, time she did it, she was beaten hardly and guard tried to even rape her, but she, despite blindness, despite crushed wing and leg, knocked him out somehow. She used to be called Primero's daughter not without a reason. She wanted to kill him so badly, but others stopped her. Everyone kept beating her, but after several other unsuccessful tries of guards and His order, no one tried to rape her. At least that.

The cell opened. She didn't try to run out. She couldn't escape. She only cried, silently, so no one cared. The less they cared about her, the better for her. She heard steps. Someone put a small bowl on the ground. And then, the other. There was noise of waving water. Beautiful music to her ears.

"Enjoy your meal." Guard said sneeringly. Vixen hissed involuntarily. Mistake. She kept doing this one. She felt terrible pain in her head and fell on the ground hardly. "Did you say something?" The guard asked.

"No." Vixen refused silently. She heard silent giggle, steps and metallic squeak of closed door, finished with loud crack. The black dragoness stood up slowly and started lapping water. Disgusting, muddy water, but she had to drink it. If she didn't, there would come two guards and pour it in her mouth. She had already experienced that and preferred not to repeat it. Being forced to drink this wa... liquid without choking was almost impossible and guards weren't really gentle, if she would do it. Then, she ate food, barely stopping herself from vomiting, like always, wondering what could it be. She hoped it was meat, but she couldn't say for sure. And she not really wanted to know. After having this lunch, dinner, breakfast or whatever it was, she laid, wanting to fall asleep, so she could dream. In dreams, she was free. She could fly, laugh and first of all, she could see. And so, she kept dreaming, she did every time she could, even though it never lasted for long. She fell asleep. Almost. The cell's door opened loudly.

"Bring her to my room." Male voice ordered. The dragoness felt creeps across her body. It was Him. Principe. She felt she was being carried. Why should she oppose? To suffer even more? She allowed a guard to carry her for a minute, maybe two, she was put on cold stone table and tied up to it.

"It's been a while, huh? Lately, I've had many duties so I couldn't take care after you. But now... Now, we have whole weeks, only for ourselves." She listened to His words carefully. She heard noise of a dagger being taken out from the scabbard. And then, she felt terrible pain. She screamed in agony. She didn't beg anyone to come and save her, not even in her thoughts. No one would come. There was only Principe. He loved this sound, he loved to watch her tears dripping down her cheeks and mixing with her blood. And so, to his joy, she cried.

Vixen woke up, screaming. "It was only dream... It was only dream..." She repeated, trying to believe her own words. She looked around. It was dark around, there was middle of night. Everyone was still sleeping. Tears appeared in her eyes, as she laid again in comfortable way and tried to fall asleep. She started crying silently. Why did she have to keep having nightmares? Couldn't those be beautiful dreams? She dreamt once of her ten years later, sitting with her little daughter, the black dragoness just like her, on the roof top. Her name would be… Aura. That's a beautiful name. And they were sitting on the roof at the mid winter's night, Vixen covering her blissfully sleeping child from slowly falling snow with wing. But it was the only beautiful dream. The rest… were nightmares. Then, she felt warmth around her. Someone's wing surrounded her with protectiveness. His paw wiped out her tear.

"Don't cry, Vixen. Let it remain in your past where it should be." Crag pleased. The young dragoness nodded and fell asleep. Feeling her... her protector's presence, she felt safe. She fell asleep within seconds. Crag smiled with pity, watching the little black dragoness, young only by her body. She seemed to be so young... In his mind appeared amusing thought that she could be his daughter. Well, if she was just fifteen, as she looked like, that'd be possible... The earth dragon laid next to her, covering Vixen with wing. The black dragoness smiled pleasantly. Crag knew that she desperately needed someone close. The longer he watched her, the better he could see consuming her loneliness, the secrets, which she never meant to reveal.

All dragons started waking up about midday. None of them was really surprised about it, only Vixen who had been awake for already two hours complained, how bored she already was. When Sable and Viola left their room, everyone was already waiting there for them. Two dragons sat to the table and started eating breakfast.

"Dear ancestors, Sable, can't you hurry up a little? We're all waiting for you." Ivory swallowed bite of apple quickly and blamed the lightning dragon for being forced to be so close to Crag for ten minutes already. She was seriously annoyed with that.

"So, what is our plan for today?" Crag asked.

"We should wait for message from Verdad, when he'll give us audience..." Sable started.

"Messenger's already been to here." Vixen interrupted him. She'd say it earlier, but she was drinking a tasty juice made of fruit known only to wyverns, which name's she never could remember. "Today, an hour before sunset, in the Throne Hall. He apologized, explaining that Señor de la Tribu couldn't find time for us any earlier." Sable nodded with understanding.

"So what now?" Are we supposed to wait or can we start healing already?" Ivory asked impatiently.

"We'll wait until audience, Captain." Sable explained. The white dragoness watched him with disbelief. She wanted to disagree, but he didn't let her speak. "I know that we're wasting time, but I'm helpless about it as well. Before we can start working, we need to meet with Verdad and his medics to know the situation. I don't like this either, Captain." Sable spoke, as if he could read Ivory's mind. Medic only nodded with understanding.

"So, we still have some time left. Any idea how will we spend it?" Tris noticed.

"Vixen, could you show others Celeste Tribu?" Viola suggested. "You've been here for quite long, weren't you?" The black dragoness nodded.

"But someone has to stay in here, in case another messenger came." Sable suggested. It was mostly a suggestion made especially for Crag. The lightning dragon easily noticed the tension between him and Ivory. And it wasn't very hard to guess the reason of it.

"I'll stay." Crag decided, thanking Sable in mind. "And where are you going, Sable?" He asked curiously.

"There's someone that we need to talk with." Sable explained tersely. He and Viola quickly finished their breakfast and left. Several minutes later other dragons left as well. Crag took from shelf some novel, went to his room and, laying on his bed and watching servants taking dishes, he started reading it. He thanked ancestors for that bookshelf, but he noted that he had to ask someone about library. Those novels were good, but he was reading them definitely too fast.

"Who do you plan to visit?" Viola asked her mate curiously. She and Sable were walking well lit corridor, passing by wyverns who watched two dragons curiously.

"Uncle Syrius." The lightning dragon explained. "I need several answers from him."

"That Leal..." Viola changed subject, but she became confused as her mate watched her curiously with his orange eyes. "Did you miss her?" She asked eventually.

"I thought she was dead." Sable said, smiling with understanding. He wasn't surprised that it bothered her. To put it mildly, of course.

"What was your relationship with her like before you were banished?" Viola continued series of her questions. That wyverness concerned her very seriously. She didn't want to admit that, but some part of her heart was disturbed.

"I really liked her. She's very smart. You know, when that incident in Warfang, which I've mentioned, happened, she tricked twenty guards that she was a powerful magician buying herself some time more. She was my best friend and fiancée at once. I never really loved her, even if she's so... perfect. But she loved me. She still loves me. I can see that in her eyes." Sable said with note of worry.

"So, she'll be problematic, am I wrong?" Viola asked. She felt her blood boiling, as she recalled their first meeting. "Dear ancestors, she has mate, why can't she leave you alone?" The azure dragoness asked angrily.

"I wish I knew that." Sable sighed deeply. "Be careful about her. She's not kind of wyvern who would give up. Even now. Having Cobro's influence in her paws, she may be dangerous. " He warned his mate.

"She should be careful about me." Viola corrected. "If I see her, I swear I'll k..." Sable watched her with annoyance, knowing that she was serious. "I'll kick her tail so badly that she won't say word "Sable" even in her mind." Viola finished, quickly correcting one word. Sable just sighed deeply, but shrugged with helplessness after several seconds.

"At least try to avoid her, will you?" He pleased. Viola kissed him and bobbed her head once.

"How can I help that I'm jealous about you?" She asked rhetorically. "As for me, she's pathetic, buying with her body position..." Viola didn't finish, but Sable guessed the ending. "I'll be avoiding her, but don't ask me for anything more."

"I didn't consider it for even a second." Sable agreed. They continued conversing about some trivial matters for some time more. Sable really enjoyed walking the corridors of Celeste Tribu with no guards. He felt like he always had dreamt to feel when he was still prince: to be free, able to walk anywhere he wanted. They walked like that when they entered section of nobility apartments. The couple found Syrius's home and stood before it when they were stopped by two heavily armored guards.

"We've come to visit Prince Syrius." Sable explained.

"Your names?" Guard asked. He most likely knew it was Sable, gossips were spreading pretty fast in Celeste Tribu, but it was his duty to ask.

"Sable del relampago."

"Viola del helado, hija de la Crystal." Dragons could introduce them using their own language, but both of them knew that wyverns really liked when dragons used their native language in such situations. So, as expected, at guards' faces appeared slight smiles.

"You can enter. Principe Syrius is expecting you." The guard permitted, opening door, replying in his own language as well. Two dragons entered to the apartment. They stood in lobby, at beautifully painted walls, there were several paintings and some little statues. Before them, there were big stairs at which top was already waiting for them Syrius.

"Sable! So many years!" He walked down the stairs and stopped before two dragons. "Viola, you when I saw you last time, you were just a little girl and now, a beautiful lady." The wyvern noticed, smiling warmly. "I wanted to greet you in time of banquet, but I wasn't in tribe yet. I've come back just several hours before." He explained.

"Not all is lost that is delayed." Sable noticed, but he didn't reply with smile. "I've come to talk with you, uncle about the night when I was banished." Sable explained, smile disappeared from wyvern's face.

"I have something for you." He said. Then, Syrius walked to great wooden chest standing several meters from him. He opened it and took from it something. It was a sword. Big, red sword. Sable's eyes grew wide. He knew that blade.

"Is it..." He stuttered with disbelief.

"Your father's sword. Now, it belongs to you." Sable grasped sword's hilt with both arms and watched it carefully, with fascination. He could see mysterious runes written across its pure crimson blade.

"Sadly, I couldn't get Lanzador, I'm not that influential." Syrius said, watching his nephew. He looked like a little boy who was given toy he had always dreamt about.

"That's fine." Sable replied. Then, his uncle handed him the scabbard. Sable gave sword to Syrius for a moment, wore scabbard and put blade inside. It wasn't all hidden, its stripes were only holding blade on his back.

"I have also your mother's daggers." Syrius said as he gave Sable two daggers hidden in scabbards. Sable didn't take them out, neither wore them on his arms, but gave those Viola.

"If Sonrisa lived, I'd give those her. But she's dead and blades should remain within the family. Will you take them?" Sable explained. Viola nodded and took blades from him. She knew well how much it meant for him.

"So now, I'm member of royal family, am I not?" She noticed, smiling slightly.

"Symbolically, yes. But neither of us have any real chance for the throne." Sable agreed. Then, he turned to Syrius. "Uncle, I appreciate saving those blades for us, but you know I have to ask you about it. Why did you betray us?" Sable stopped mincing his words.

"I was tricked. Verdad bought the most of my people and told me it right before fight. He ordered me to leave right after your father's death. I tried to argue with..." Syrius started explaining.

"Liar." Viola interrupted him. "Don't you have the courage to confess what you've done?" She asked with scorn. Sable realized that for whole the time of their conversation, she was boiling, but she kept playing nice and polite. "You insolently glare into my eyes and lie. Avoid the truth, even though you..." She hissed angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Syrius asked. Sable watched her completely dumbstruck.

"Let me introduce myself again. Viola, daughter of Crystal." In Viola's eyes, there appeared tears, but she didn't let them flow. Wyvern's eyes grew wide. He realized what she meant. Sable still didn't know, but he couldn't know it. "You've murdered my mother, Syrius. You were sentenced to death, but you allowed Verdad to kill Sable's family just to protect your life from justice, which still awaits for you in the dragon cities." The azure dragoness watched him hatefully. "Verdad offered you salvation. And it was only your choice, your unforced will. Even my mother's death didn't retrieve your honor, if you ever possessed such a thing." She watched the wyvern with contempt. There fell silence, as Viola finished.

"Why do you remain silent, Syrius?" Sable didn't call wyvern "uncle" anymore. In the moment he realized his mate couldn't be wrong, he hated him. "Don't you have anything to defend yourself?" The lightning dragon asked with voice proper for former Vengantimo.

"It was my fate." Prince said, in his voice there seemed to be heard hint of remorse, but Sable doubted if it was honest. "Verdad gave me no choice..."

"No, you were given a choice." Sable disagreed. "You could agree to die for your crimes. For your brother. For my mother, who you used to love so much." The lightning dragon watched wyvern's widely opening eyes. Yes, he knew about his uncle's feelings towards his mother. "Like Flush did to protect Ivory."

"And like Sable meant to do to protect me." Viola added.

"There is no such a thing as fate." Sable continued.

"You could change your mind any time you wished. You only lacked will. Because of your weakness, I've lost mother, Sable whole family and many innocent wyverns died. Just… pathetic." Viola finished. Then, she turned to her mate. "We're done here, aren't we?" She noticed. Sable nodded.

"Yes." He bowed slightly to wyvern in gesture completely deprived of any respect. "Goodbye, Syrius." He said coldly, his mate didn't even bid him goodbye. Then, two dragons left aghast wyvern in his chamber.

At the evening, all seven dragons walked inside the Throne Hall. Verdad was already awaiting for them. There was no more sign of previous day's banquet, all tables were gone already. Señor de la Tribu was sitting on his throne, before which were several marble stairs, which raised it for about a meter, so he could watch his guests from advance. Dragon stood in planned earlier order. Sable stood in the middle. On one his side there stood Ivory, Tris and Dante and on the other Viola, Vixen and Crag. At their side, between two columns, there was hanging great, high for three meters map of all the lands that belonged to wyverns of north. Sable watched it only with corner of his eye, he knew it too well.

"Greetings, dragons of Warfang. As you already know, you've been called here to help fighting with pandemic. I won't explain how bad situation is, the royal medic will tell it to you more precisely than I could. Now, I give you official permit to work as the medics fighting against disease tormenting Celeste Tribu. But, there are several rules which you have to abide by. Firstly, in face of law, you're treated from now as noble members of our tribe, which means that for any crime you committed here, you would be judged as every guiverno. Secondly, I realize that you may not like being stuck underground for too long, so if any of you medics want to leave Celeste Tribu, I want the royal medic to be informed about it, so in case of sudden crisis, he could quickly send for you. The third rule concerns only you, Sable." Señor de la Tribu said directly to the lightning dragon. "You have no right to find yourselves followers, every your movement enclosing you to try of achieving the throne of Celeste Tribu will be treated as betrayal and judged immediately. Is it clear?" Verdad asked. Sable nodded slightly.

"I understood." The lightning dragon confirmed. "But our help isn't for free. We have two conditions." All dragons watched Sable with surprise. Two? They thought there was only one condition.

"I will fill them, if it's possible." Señor de la Tribu agreed. "Tell." He said with demanding note, characteristic for every king.

"First one is to revive the alliance between dragon cities and Great Wyvern Alliance of Northern Lands where you're the real ruler after all. From us, dragons, Viola and Dante will negotiate terms of alliance, which will satisfy both sides, as I hope. It should be signed before we leave Celeste Tribu." Sable explained. The wyvern sighed deeply, considering it. But it took him only several seconds.

"Fine. What is the second condition?" Verdad asked.

"It should be included in the first condoneition, but I want to talk about it separately. I want Syrius, hijo del Joven, to be transported to the eastern city, where he'll be judged for murdering Crystal, the ice dragoness." Sable explained. Viola watched her mate with disbelief. In her widely opened eyes, there appeared tears of emotion. Syrius had to be sentenced. Murderer of her mother would no more walk free. She was so thankful for that. The lightning dragon kissed his mate's lips, smiling slightly and ignoring the king for a second, even though it was against any rules of etiquette. Verdad watched whole that situation interested.

"I could expect this." Señor de la Tribu said to himself. "I agree." Verdad decided, not even considering his choice. After all, he didn't really need non-influential Syrius. "Are those all the conditions of yours?"

"Yes." Sable confirmed.

"You are dismissed." Verdad decided. All dragons bowed, turned around and left the Throne Hall. Old Señor de la Tribu watched them all carefully, thinking intensively. He knew that those seven would bring change to Celeste Tribu. The trick was using them in such a way that they would bring him only profits. And from what he knew from his spies about Viola and Dante, dragon negotiators, he seriously doubted, if he'd achieve those by negotiations. But he already had a plan.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19. "Audition"

Sudden, metallic noise woke her up. She saw only darkness. Right, she was blind after all. She could smell blood in corners of her eyes. How many days? Or maybe those were months or years? She was sitting in a small rocky room, around her, there was a nasty stench of mustiness and moisture. She was in a cell, she knew that even though she had never seen it. She could hear voices of prisoners, sitting in other cells, encouraging her to come closer to them, so they could reach with their dirty paws through cell bars. Damn perverts. Her, little, lachrymose, blind, fifteen… or so… years old dragoness trying to drown herself in her own blood. How could anyone wish to hurt her even more? She wished she could slash her own throat. If only not those strange rocks covering her paws and tailblade... She could always bite her veins with sharp teeth, but two guards kept watching her round the clock, so they'd notice it without a problem. Thinking about this, she heard noise of her opening cell. Some silent voice in her heart told her to at least try to fight or escape the torturer, maybe she would even die, but her reason quickly suppressed this thought. First day... or maybe night? Or maybe after the first month… Whatever. Once she involuntarily jumped to the corner of cell, hitting it with her own head. After several months, in her mind appeared idea of killing herself hitting wall with her head. It worked until she lost consciousness and medics saved her. Why?! Couldn't they just let her go?! What did she live for?! She wanted to scream so badly, but then, a guard would always come to cell and silent her. The first, and only, time she did it, she was beaten hardly and guard tried to even rape her, but she, despite blindness, despite crushed wing and leg, knocked him out somehow. She used to be called Primero's daughter not without a reason. She wanted to kill him so badly, but others stopped her. Everyone kept beating her, but after several other unsuccessful tries of guards and His order, no one tried to rape her. At least that.

The cell opened. She didn't try to run out. She couldn't escape. She only cried, silently, so no one cared. The less they cared about her, the better for her. She heard steps. Someone put a small bowl on the ground. And then, the other. There was noise of waving water. Beautiful music to her ears.

"Enjoy your meal." Guard said sneeringly. Vixen hissed involuntarily. Mistake. She kept doing this one. She felt terrible pain in her head and fell on the ground hardly. "Did you say something?" The guard asked.

"No." Vixen refused silently. She heard silent giggle, steps and metallic squeak of closed door, finished with loud crack. The black dragoness stood up slowly and started lapping water. Disgusting, muddy water, but she had to drink it. If she didn't, there would come two guards and pour it in her mouth. She had already experienced that and preferred not to repeat it. Being forced to drink this wa... liquid without choking was almost impossible and guards weren't really gentle, if she would do it. Then, she ate food, barely stopping herself from vomiting, like always, wondering what could it be. She hoped it was meat, but she couldn't say for sure. And she not really wanted to know. After having this lunch, dinner, breakfast or whatever it was, she laid, wanting to fall asleep, so she could dream. In dreams, she was free. She could fly, laugh and first of all, she could see. And so, she kept dreaming, she did every time she could, even though it never lasted for long. She fell asleep. Almost. The cell's door opened loudly.

"Bring her to my room." Male voice ordered. The dragoness felt creeps across her body. It was Him. Principe. She felt she was being carried. Why should she oppose? To suffer even more? She allowed a guard to carry her for a minute, maybe two, she was put on cold stone table and tied up to it.

"It's been a while, huh? Lately, I've had many duties so I couldn't take care after you. But now... Now, we have whole weeks, only for ourselves." She listened to His words carefully. She heard noise of a dagger being taken out from the scabbard. And then, she felt terrible pain. She screamed in agony. She didn't beg anyone to come and save her, not even in her thoughts. No one would come. There was only Principe. He loved this sound, he loved to watch her tears dripping down her cheeks and mixing with her blood. And so, to his joy, she cried.

Vixen woke up, screaming. "It was only dream... It was only dream..." She repeated, trying to believe her own words. She looked around. It was dark around, there was middle of night. Everyone was still sleeping. Tears appeared in her eyes, as she laid again in comfortable way and tried to fall asleep. She started crying silently. Why did she have to keep having nightmares? Couldn't those be beautiful dreams? She dreamt once of her ten years later, sitting with her little daughter, the black dragoness just like her, on the roof top. Her name would be… Aura. That's a beautiful name. And they were sitting on the roof at the mid winter's night, Vixen covering her blissfully sleeping child from slowly falling snow with wing. But it was the only beautiful dream. The rest… were nightmares. Then, she felt warmth around her. Someone's wing surrounded her with protectiveness. His paw wiped out her tear.

"Don't cry, Vixen. Let it remain in your past where it should be." Crag pleased. The young dragoness nodded and fell asleep. Feeling her... her protector's presence, she felt safe. She fell asleep within seconds. Crag smiled with pity, watching the little black dragoness, young only by her body. She seemed to be so young... In his mind appeared amusing thought that she could be his daughter. Well, if she was just fifteen, as she looked like, that'd be possible... The earth dragon laid next to her, covering Vixen with wing. The black dragoness smiled pleasantly. Crag knew that she desperately needed someone close. The longer he watched her, the better he could see consuming her loneliness, the secrets, which she never meant to reveal.

All dragons started waking up about midday. None of them was really surprised about it, only Vixen who had been awake for already two hours complained, how bored she already was. When Sable and Viola left their room, everyone was already waiting there for them. Two dragons sat to the table and started eating breakfast.

"Dear ancestors, Sable, can't you hurry up a little? We're all waiting for you." Ivory swallowed bite of apple quickly and blamed the lightning dragon for being forced to be so close to Crag for ten minutes already. She was seriously annoyed with that.

"So, what is our plan for today?" Crag asked.

"We should wait for message from Verdad, when he'll give us audience..." Sable started.

"Messenger's already been to here." Vixen interrupted him. She'd say it earlier, but she was drinking a tasty juice made of fruit known only to wyverns, which name's she never could remember. "Today, an hour before sunset, in the Throne Hall. He apologized, explaining that Señor de la Tribu couldn't find time for us any earlier." Sable nodded with understanding.

"So what now?" Are we supposed to wait or can we start healing already?" Ivory asked impatiently.

"We'll wait until audience, Captain." Sable explained. The white dragoness watched him with disbelief. She wanted to disagree, but he didn't let her speak. "I know that we're wasting time, but I'm helpless about it as well. Before we can start working, we need to meet with Verdad and his medics to know the situation. I don't like this either, Captain." Sable spoke, as if he could read Ivory's mind. Medic only nodded with understanding.

"So, we still have some time left. Any idea how will we spend it?" Tris noticed.

"Vixen, could you show others Celeste Tribu?" Viola suggested. "You've been here for quite long, weren't you?" The black dragoness nodded.

"But someone has to stay in here, in case another messenger came." Sable suggested. It was mostly a suggestion made especially for Crag. The lightning dragon easily noticed the tension between him and Ivory. And it wasn't very hard to guess the reason of it.

"I'll stay." Crag decided, thanking Sable in mind. "And where are you going, Sable?" He asked curiously.

"There's someone that we need to talk with." Sable explained tersely. He and Viola quickly finished their breakfast and left. Several minutes later other dragons left as well. Crag took from shelf some novel, went to his room and, laying on his bed and watching servants taking dishes, he started reading it. He thanked ancestors for that bookshelf, but he noted that he had to ask someone about library. Those novels were good, but he was reading them definitely too fast.

"Who do you plan to visit?" Viola asked her mate curiously. She and Sable were walking well lit corridor, passing by wyverns who watched two dragons curiously.

"Uncle Syrius." The lightning dragon explained. "I need several answers from him."

"That Leal..." Viola changed subject, but she became confused as her mate watched her curiously with his orange eyes. "Did you miss her?" She asked eventually.

"I thought she was dead." Sable said, smiling with understanding. He wasn't surprised that it bothered her. To put it mildly, of course.

"What was your relationship with her like before you were banished?" Viola continued series of her questions. That wyverness concerned her very seriously. She didn't want to admit that, but some part of her heart was disturbed.

"I really liked her. She's very smart. You know, when that incident in Warfang, which I've mentioned, happened, she tricked twenty guards that she was a powerful magician buying herself some time more. She was my best friend and fiancée at once. I never really loved her, even if she's so... perfect. But she loved me. She still loves me. I can see that in her eyes." Sable said with note of worry.

"So, she'll be problematic, am I wrong?" Viola asked. She felt her blood boiling, as she recalled their first meeting. "Dear ancestors, she has mate, why can't she leave you alone?" The azure dragoness asked angrily.

"I wish I knew that." Sable sighed deeply. "Be careful about her. She's not kind of wyvern who would give up. Even now. Having Cobro's influence in her paws, she may be dangerous. " He warned his mate.

"She should be careful about me." Viola corrected. "If I see her, I swear I'll k..." Sable watched her with annoyance, knowing that she was serious. "I'll kick her tail so badly that she won't say word "Sable" even in her mind." Viola finished, quickly correcting one word. Sable just sighed deeply, but shrugged with helplessness after several seconds.

"At least try to avoid her, will you?" He pleased. Viola kissed him and bobbed her head once.

"How can I help that I'm jealous about you?" She asked rhetorically. "As for me, she's pathetic, buying with her body position..." Viola didn't finish, but Sable guessed the ending. "I'll be avoiding her, but don't ask me for anything more."

"I didn't consider it for even a second." Sable agreed. They continued conversing about some trivial matters for some time more. Sable really enjoyed walking the corridors of Celeste Tribu with no guards. He felt like he always had dreamt to feel when he was still prince: to be free, able to walk anywhere he wanted. They walked like that when they entered section of nobility apartments. The couple found Syrius's home and stood before it when they were stopped by two heavily armored guards.

"We've come to visit Prince Syrius." Sable explained.

"Your names?" Guard asked. He most likely knew it was Sable, gossips were spreading pretty fast in Celeste Tribu, but it was his duty to ask.

"Sable del relampago."

"Viola del helado, hija de la Crystal." Dragons could introduce them using their own language, but both of them knew that wyverns really liked when dragons used their native language in such situations. So, as expected, at guards' faces appeared slight smiles.

"You can enter. Principe Syrius is expecting you." The guard permitted, opening door, replying in his own language as well. Two dragons entered to the apartment. They stood in lobby, at beautifully painted walls, there were several paintings and some little statues. Before them, there were big stairs at which top was already waiting for them Syrius.

"Sable! So many years!" He walked down the stairs and stopped before two dragons. "Viola, you when I saw you last time, you were just a little girl and now, a beautiful lady." The wyvern noticed, smiling warmly. "I wanted to greet you in time of banquet, but I wasn't in tribe yet. I've come back just several hours before." He explained.

"Not all is lost that is delayed." Sable noticed, but he didn't reply with smile. "I've come to talk with you, uncle about the night when I was banished." Sable explained, smile disappeared from wyvern's face.

"I have something for you." He said. Then, Syrius walked to great wooden chest standing several meters from him. He opened it and took from it something. It was a sword. Big, red sword. Sable's eyes grew wide. He knew that blade.

"Is it..." He stuttered with disbelief.

"Your father's sword. Now, it belongs to you." Sable grasped sword's hilt with both arms and watched it carefully, with fascination. He could see mysterious runes written across its pure crimson blade.

"Sadly, I couldn't get Lanzador, I'm not that influential." Syrius said, watching his nephew. He looked like a little boy who was given toy he had always dreamt about.

"That's fine." Sable replied. Then, his uncle handed him the scabbard. Sable gave sword to Syrius for a moment, wore scabbard and put blade inside. It wasn't all hidden, its stripes were only holding blade on his back.

"I have also your mother's daggers." Syrius said as he gave Sable two daggers hidden in scabbards. Sable didn't take them out, neither wore them on his arms, but gave those Viola.

"If Sonrisa lived, I'd give those her. But she's dead and blades should remain within the family. Will you take them?" Sable explained. Viola nodded and took blades from him. She knew well how much it meant for him.

"So now, I'm member of royal family, am I not?" She noticed, smiling slightly.

"Symbolically, yes. But neither of us have any real chance for the throne." Sable agreed. Then, he turned to Syrius. "Uncle, I appreciate saving those blades for us, but you know I have to ask you about it. Why did you betray us?" Sable stopped mincing his words.

"I was tricked. Verdad bought the most of my people and told me it right before fight. He ordered me to leave right after your father's death. I tried to argue with..." Syrius started explaining.

"Liar." Viola interrupted him. "Don't you have the courage to confess what you've done?" She asked with scorn. Sable realized that for whole the time of their conversation, she was boiling, but she kept playing nice and polite. "You insolently glare into my eyes and lie. Avoid the truth, even though you..." She hissed angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Syrius asked. Sable watched her completely dumbstruck.

"Let me introduce myself again. Viola, daughter of Crystal." In Viola's eyes, there appeared tears, but she didn't let them flow. Wyvern's eyes grew wide. He realized what she meant. Sable still didn't know, but he couldn't know it. "You've murdered my mother, Syrius. You were sentenced to death, but you allowed Verdad to kill Sable's family just to protect your life from justice, which still awaits for you in the dragon cities." The azure dragoness watched him hatefully. "Verdad offered you salvation. And it was only your choice, your unforced will. Even my mother's death didn't retrieve your honor, if you ever possessed such a thing." She watched the wyvern with contempt. There fell silence, as Viola finished.

"Why do you remain silent, Syrius?" Sable didn't call wyvern "uncle" anymore. In the moment he realized his mate couldn't be wrong, he hated him. "Don't you have anything to defend yourself?" The lightning dragon asked with voice proper for former Vengantimo.

"It was my fate." Prince said, in his voice there seemed to be heard hint of remorse, but Sable doubted if it was honest. "Verdad gave me no choice..."

"No, you were given a choice." Sable disagreed. "You could agree to die for your crimes. For your brother. For my mother, who you used to love so much." The lightning dragon watched wyvern's widely opening eyes. Yes, he knew about his uncle's feelings towards his mother. "Like Flush did to protect Ivory."

"And like Sable meant to do to protect me." Viola added.

"There is no such a thing as fate." Sable continued.

"You could change your mind any time you wished. You only lacked will. Because of your weakness, I've lost mother, Sable whole family and many innocent wyverns died. Just… pathetic." Viola finished. Then, she turned to her mate. "We're done here, aren't we?" She noticed. Sable nodded.

"Yes." He bowed slightly to wyvern in gesture completely deprived of any respect. "Goodbye, Syrius." He said coldly, his mate didn't even bid him goodbye. Then, two dragons left aghast wyvern in his chamber.

At the evening, all seven dragons walked inside the Throne Hall. Verdad was already awaiting for them. There was no more sign of previous day's banquet, all tables were gone already. Señor de la Tribu was sitting on his throne, before which were several marble stairs, which raised it for about a meter, so he could watch his guests from advance. Dragon stood in planned earlier order. Sable stood in the middle. On one his side there stood Ivory, Tris and Dante and on the other Viola, Vixen and Crag. At their side, between two columns, there was hanging great, high for three meters map of all the lands that belonged to wyverns of north. Sable watched it only with corner of his eye, he knew it too well.

"Greetings, dragons of Warfang. As you already know, you've been called here to help fighting with pandemic. I won't explain how bad situation is, the royal medic will tell it to you more precisely than I could. Now, I give you official permit to work as the medics fighting against disease tormenting Celeste Tribu. But, there are several rules which you have to abide by. Firstly, in face of law, you're treated from now as noble members of our tribe, which means that for any crime you committed here, you would be judged as every guiverno. Secondly, I realize that you may not like being stuck underground for too long, so if any of you medics want to leave Celeste Tribu, I want the royal medic to be informed about it, so in case of sudden crisis, he could quickly send for you. The third rule concerns only you, Sable." Señor de la Tribu said directly to the lightning dragon. "You have no right to find yourselves followers, every your movement enclosing you to try of achieving the throne of Celeste Tribu will be treated as betrayal and judged immediately. Is it clear?" Verdad asked. Sable nodded slightly.

"I understood." The lightning dragon confirmed. "But our help isn't for free. We have two conditions." All dragons watched Sable with surprise. Two? They thought there was only one condition.

"I will fill them, if it's possible." Señor de la Tribu agreed. "Tell." He said with demanding note, characteristic for every king.

"First one is to revive the alliance between dragon cities and Great Wyvern Alliance of Northern Lands where you're the real ruler after all. From us, dragons, Viola and Dante will negotiate terms of alliance, which will satisfy both sides, as I hope. It should be signed before we leave Celeste Tribu." Sable explained. The wyvern sighed deeply, considering it. But it took him only several seconds.

"Fine. What is the second condition?" Verdad asked.

"It should be included in the first condoneition, but I want to talk about it separately. I want Syrius, hijo del Joven, to be transported to the eastern city, where he'll be judged for murdering Crystal, the ice dragoness." Sable explained. Viola watched her mate with disbelief. In her widely opened eyes, there appeared tears of emotion. Syrius had to be sentenced. Murderer of her mother would no more walk free. She was so thankful for that. The lightning dragon kissed his mate's lips, smiling slightly and ignoring the king for a second, even though it was against any rules of etiquette. Verdad watched whole that situation interested.

"I could expect this." Señor de la Tribu said to himself. "I agree." Verdad decided, not even considering his choice. After all, he didn't really need non-influential Syrius. "Are those all the conditions of yours?"

"Yes." Sable confirmed.

"You are dismissed." Verdad decided. All dragons bowed, turned around and left the Throne Hall. Old Señor de la Tribu watched them all carefully, thinking intensively. He knew that those seven would bring change to Celeste Tribu. The trick was using them in such a way that they would bring him only profits. And from what he knew from his spies about Viola and Dante, dragon negotiators, he seriously doubted, if he'd achieve those by negotiations. But he already had a plan.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20. "The light of hope"

Right after audience with Señor de la Tribu, dragons walked in direction of quarters of royal medic of tribe, Alivo. At first, Viola suggested that she, Dante and Vixen would come back to their apartment. They weren't medics and had nothing to do with disease. But Sable noticed that knowing the real situation in tribe would help her in negotiations. And so, seven dragons flew down the Core. They were flying for dozens meters down, when they finally reached its bottom. Sunlight wasn't the source of light anymore, there were only torches. For wyverns, night hunters, light was just enough, but all dragons, not counting Sable with his specific eyes, had problems with seeing through the darkness. They landed on the stone circle with diameter of about one hundred meters. Tris looked up, desperately seeking for sunlight. She really disliked that place. Dante encouraged her, whispering something very silently and fire breather giggled silently. Then, there walked to them four wyverns. They were wearing light armor and metal gauntlets able to shoot needles, this same as some of Vengantimos used to use. At their sides, there were small bags, built in special purpose to allow user take needles from it quickly. Those were elite guards, the best soldiers of Celeste Tribu. And their mission was only keeping quarantine. That showed all wyverns that situation was really bad.

"You're the medics from Warfang, aren't you?" The guard asked hopefully. His voice was filled with such a sorrow...And those eyes of person who had lost someone very precious to him...

"Yes, we are." Sable agreed. He saw sparkle of joy appearing in wyvern's eye."Lead us to Royal Medic Alivo, will you?"

"Right away, sir!" Wyvern saluted with enthusiasm. He turned around and walked the dark corridor. All the dragons followed him. They entered some dark corridor where weren't burning many torches. They walked through it to the place called the small Core, since it looked similar to Core, but was several times smaller. Only wyverns were medics, all in haste, flying from one corridor to the other, as fast as they could. After all, several seconds of delay could be decide about life or death. Small Core was high for about fifty meters, lit not by sunlight, but hundreds of special torches, which didn't fume.

"The Royal Medic's HQ is at the very top of small Core. That corridor." The wyvern pointed one of corridors. He turned around and started walking back to his position. All the dragons flew to corridor pointed by guard. All medics watched them carefully, but no one asked them who they were. The good news were spreading quickly. Sable easily found the head quarters. He knocked at the door. Then, he heard silent curse in wyvern's language.

"Come in!" Some shouted from behind door. There could be heard some annoyed muttering and noise of boiling water, as dragons opened the door. They all entered to it with no problem, it was very spacious place. But still, it all was one great mess. At the wall opposite to them, there were tens of medical books. Or those were supposed to be, since the most of them were laying wide opened on the floor. At the left, there was long desk with some test-tubes, bottles, several dozen kinds of herbs and some quite big bottle of boiling blue elixir. Right under table's top, there were several closed drawers. In the middle, there was a desk behind which was sitting quite old wyvern. Whole right side of his body was covered in chemical burns, including his cheek, throat and wing, which had several holes that would make flying definitely much harder for him. Though he couldn't be called young, after all he had forty-five, maybe fifty years, there was nothing really old about him. Neither beautiful, pure green scales, neither eyes, longing for adventure. But this sparkle in his eyes seemed to have faded away a little under pressure of brutal reality. The wyvern raised his head slowly, watching the newcomers. He expected to hear another report. Deceased, technical problems, not tight quarantine, another failures with experimental cures... Then, his eyes grew wide as he recognized the newcomers.

"Sable?" He asked, as if he didn't believe his own eyes. "Is that really you?"

"Who else could I be, mentor?" The lightning dragon noticed. Then, Alivo stood before him and watched carefully his orange eyes.

"Fascinating. Those scales, exactly like dragon's. Separated wings and arms made with chirurgical precision. Almost as if you were born as a dragon. Even eyes are changed, though in amateurish way." He whispered, noticing thousands of little veins covering his iris. "But, where are my manners?" He asked rhetorically, as he stepped back. Then, he bowed slightly. "My name is Alivo, I am Royal Medic." The wyvern introduced himself. "You've brought quite many medics, you know?"

"Sable, the lightning dragon. Only four of us are medics. Those are: Captain..." He made a pause, wanting to present others, but he realized he forgot to say her name. "Ivory." He added after a second and ice dragoness bowed gently, smiling slightly." Crag and Tris." Two remaining medics bowed as well. "All four of us are one medical team." Sable explained.

"And who are your two?" Alivo watched Dante and Viola carefully. He and Vixen had already been introduced to each other at Vixen's first visit, there was no need to ask her about it as well.

"Dante, the earth dragon I am. Because of my mate, Tris, I came." Poet introduced himself, rhyming, as usually. This time, Sable spared comment about that.

"My name is Viola, daughter of Crystal. I am Sable's mate." The azure dragoness bowed gently before wyvern who watched her carefully, as if estimating.

"So the rumors about your new family was true, huh?" The wyvern said to himself after several seconds. "Sable, you've always liked behaving in…" Alivo considered which word to use. "Hmm… Extraordinary way, as for principe." Then, he turned to Viola and Dante. "So, your two only accompanies the medics, right? Or do you have some mission I don't know about?"

"We're negotiating conditions of alliance between northern tribes and dragons." Viola explained.

"Alliance?" The Royal Medic asked with disbelief."Just seven dragons and so many changes." He noticed.

"Master Alivo…" Sable started.

"Call me by name. I'm not your teacher for years." The wyvern noticed.

"Alivo, what's the situation?" The lightning dragon continued. The Royal Medic rapidly saddened.

"It's very bad. Whole small Core is cut off with quarantine, which appears to be not tight, we still fine new diseased outside. We estimate that about ten percent of society is ill, maybe even more, but the most of them are now here. Besides, we can only slow down effects of disease, but not heal it. All our tried to discover cure were complete failures." Alivo explained. He sounded very crushed with his helplessness. Reading the statistics was nothing compared to watch death of so many wyverns.

"We have an antidote." Sable declared. The Royal Medic watched dragons completely aghast. "Tris, could you?" The lightning dragon suggested. Tris nodded and took from bag at her side some notebook. She opened it and gave the wyvern. Alivo started reading it quickly.

"We don't have any ironweed already. What is cat's claw?" He asked.

"It's Uña de Gato, acacia plumose." The fire breather explained.

"We lack it as well." The wyvern stated.

"You can replace ironweed with marigold and lavender will be perfect instead of cat's claw." Tris suggested.

"Are you sure?" Alivo asked doubtfully. "Marigold and ironweed are completely different herbs." He noticed, not sure about that idea.

"Marigold, together with flax seeds, which are ingredients of this cure, work exactly in this same way as ironweed for itself. Besides, it grows much faster and you have much more of it here." Tris didn't consider her answer for even a second, surprising everyone.

"We don't have Hawthorne's fruits as well." The Royal Medic watched her curiously what she'd say.

"I suggest comfrey." Tris said. The wyvern smiled slightly, watching young dragoness.

"I see that you have a little encyclopedia in your team." He noticed, smiling slightly. In her age, or maybe even now, didn't know the herbs that well. "So, what more have you found out about this disease?"

"It's called Nooner's disease." Ivory started. "It's specific and rare disease, dragons thought it had been dealt with even before the Great War. Anyway, it's specific, it damages veins all across the body. The most vulnerable are kidneys, lungs and brain. Time of decease is unpredictable, some die in month after discovering first symptoms, others after just a week."

"What are symptoms?" Alivo asked. Maybe there was something they were missing.

"The first ones are red discolorations of skin, which look as if you were blushing, but in specific places. The other early one is so called pink eye, conjunctivitis, that is. If treatment is started right after discovering those, the chance to heal it is practically one hundred percent. The last symptoms are coughing up blood and losing consciousness, most often about ten minutes before death." The white dragoness continued. "If treatment wasn't started until that moment, chance of survival is very low, even if there's professional help of medics." Ivory finished.

"Do those symptoms fit what you've seen?" Sable asked. For a moment, he was worried, if they hadn't brought information about wrong disease.

"It's perfect." Alivo dispelled Sable's worries. "Does magic have any use against it?" He asked.

"If working on right organ, it can slow it down." Ivory explained.

"So, from now, we can really start fighting against this disease. Viola, Dante, Vixen, you better come back to the Core, to your quarters. You should prepare for..." Then, door opened. All dragons watched carefully a wyverness who stood behind them. Alivo smiled.

"Esperanza, come in." He ordered with warm voice. Young wyverness was about fifteen years old, she was very thin as for her age and beautiful. She moved very gracefully, stepping slowly and gently. At her side, there was bag, characteristic for medics of most likely all races. She also wore two gold bracelets at her left paw, clanking silently with every her move. The wyverness stood next to Alivo.

"Everyone, this is my daughter, Esperanza." The Royal Medic explained. Sable smiled slightly. He wasn't really surprised with that news. After all, those father and daughter were very similar to each other. Especially eyes, those deep brown eyes.

"Last time I saw you, you were just an egg." The lightning dragon noticed.

"Last time I saw you..." Esperanza wanted to say something, but she interrupted in half of sentence, as she realized that she had never seen Sable, only heard of him, the banished prince, former Vengantimo. "Never mind." She added after several seconds and Sable watched her with amusement.

"So, where was I?" Alivo asked. "Right, now I remember. Viola, Dante, Vixen, I suggest you coming back to your quarters. You need to rest before negotiations, which definitely won't be short." The Royal Medic noticed. "Esperanza, will you show those three medics the terrain of quarantine?" He pleased, pointing at Sable, Crag and Tris.

"What about me?" Ivory asked curiously.

"I need to talk with you. We'll join them soon." Alivo explained. Then, six dragons and wyverness bided them goodbye and left them alone in small room. Door closed behind Dante, the last leaving.

"Where are you from?" Alivo asked curiously, as he made sure that no one could hear them. Ivory watched him, dumbstruck.

"The white city, Teria." She explained. "Why do you ask?"

"The city of famous Lian, huh? Are you relative to her?" The wyvern continued series of questions.

"Yes, I am her descendant." Ivory confirmed.

"You've inherited her blessing, haven't you?" Alivo guessed.

"Blessing or curse? I'm still not sure about it. Let's just call it heritage." Ivory recalled her and Crag's meeting after the banquet and the one earlier, on Dante's Freezer. She had neither forgotten about elders of Teria, both fearing and hating her because of her talents. "How did you know that?"

"I'm quite talented in magic, I can feel even the slightest presence of magic in every life. And you're great burning lantern, surrounded by darkness and rare sparkles, like mine or your teammates'."

"But I'm muffling my magic, you can't…" Ivory tried to argue.

"I can sense it despite muffling. It's a common technique amongst the talented magicians like you and I need a way to counter it." The wyvern explained.

"So you're a typical sensor. A good one." The dragoness summed up.

"Exactly. You know, years ago, soon before Cynder's fall, I've met someone similar to you. Crona. Do you know her?" Alivo asked curiously.

"No, I've never heard of her. Who is she?" Ivory watched him curiously.

"The white dragoness. I guess she's ice user, but, honestly, I haven't seen her using any element. All her scales were white, she had only several characteristic black spots on her... shoulders, I think. She had black horns, talons and tailblade. She wore some jewelry at her horn and neck. I guess she's your equal. She has blue eyes. And she had powerful magic within herself, incomparable to any I've ever seen, even yours. For a moment, I even doubted, if she wasn't some kind of spirit who descended from the celestial world." The wyvern described her.

Then, some mind appeared in Ivory's head. Candice had mentioned something about white dragoness like that appearing in Warfang soon before Venganza's attack, together with other black dragon, probably mate, and two hatchlings. One of dragon wizards mentioned that he had felt intensive magical pressure from the newcomer. Could that be Crona? It had to be her. Who else? It would mean she lives... beyond time, like Chronicler, for example. But was it even possible for average dragon... Average? No, Crona definitely wasn't average, just like Ivory. For Crona, it definitely was possible.

"I think I've heard of her. From what I know, she lives, but she's... unreachable." Ivory said after moment of silence.

"I see..." Alivo watched her curiously, but he didn't ask. "Well, I mentioned about her, because your magic very similar to her. Weaker, but similar. It's like... I not really know how to explain it." The wyvern lacked words, most likely even in his native language.

"I have Lian's magic?" Ivory guessed.

"Not exactly. I read what kind of power Lian had and it's a little different than yours, Crona's more similar to you at this point. It seems like there have been several Cronas, dragons very similar to her. And from them all you have parts of their powers. From Lian you have healing magic, from other dragon the other skills... You know what I mean?" Alivo watched her curiously.

"Yes, I guess so. Do you think I've inherited it or is it something else?"

"I can't say for sure." The wyvern just shrugged helplessly.

"Where did you meet Crona?" Ivory asked.

"On Dante's Freezer. It was blizzard, she'd most likely freeze to death, but I found her and brought to warm hideout. At first, she didn't trust me, after all I'm wyvern. But with time, I achieved her trust and she said that she was following the purple dragon, Spyro. After a night spend in the cave, I accompanied her for several days and left her, giving her some medicines and map."

"Followed Spyro?" Ivory asked with disbelief.

"I'm not lying." Alivo knew what she meant. "Anyway, I wanted to talk with you about something else. You've been to the Throne Hall, haven't you?" He asked.

"Yes, I was there in time of the banquet." Ivory confirmed.

"Have you seen the writings on the ceiling?" The wyvern watched her carefully.

"What writings?" Ivory asked, pretending that she had no idea what he meant. All the dragons were already laughing because of her reading invisible letters and that was her prepared answer for that question. "I saw those." She agreed, seeing wyvern's skeptical sight. "What have you read?" She asked.

"I discovered that only wizards can read those writings, the better magician is, the more he can read. I've managed to read only this: Time and space. And you?"

"Time and space are under shield, keeping their secrets unrevealed. Space shall be bent." She recited slowly the text she remembered from banquet. "I've also learnt how to control magic with right arm much better." Alivo watched her with disbelief.

"How long did it take you to read this?" He asked.

"Half a minute, maybe less. And you?" Ivory watched him curiously.

"Two days. After then, I've reached my limit, the ceiling didn't want to show me any secrets more than it did at the first seconds." The wyvern explained and the white dragoness watched him with disbelief. Was there really such a difference between them? "Could you show me what you've learned with right paw?" Alivo pleased. Ivory agreed, though very reluctantly. She focused and in several seconds, her right arm covered in gentle aura of magic.

"I still work on it, but it will allow me to use my arm as shield when it comes to combat." She explained. After several seconds, the azure aura disappeared. "It's very tiring, I can't use it for long time." She explained. "Is there any wyvern that can use magic in combat?" She asked curiously after a moment.

"Definitely not in Celeste Tribu. But leader of Esteralldo Tribu is powerful magician. Still, it's hard to compare him to you." Alivo said.

"You exaggerate." The white dragoness refused with disbelief.

"No, I mean it. When it's up to magical potential, you're the strongest wizard I've ever met, except for Crona, of course." The wyvern confirmed. "But, enough of this flattering or it will rush to your head." Alivo noticed, smiling slightly. Then, he walked to the door. "Come on, let's join your friends." He suggested. The white dragoness nodded, agreeing, and followed the Royal Medic.


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21. "Status quo"

Next three weeks passed to all the dragons before they even noticed that. Sable, Ivory, Crag and Tris spent practically every day and many nights in the Small Core, helping wyverns in preparing antidotes, healing wyverns, sometimes helping with Alivo's paperwork. Those three weeks were very brutal experience, especially to young Tris. The dragons felt both joy and sorrow, watched miraculously saved wyverns and death of the others. There still was much death, the medicine that dragons brought helped, but not always could save life. Sable and Viola, just like Tris and Dante, didn't like their personal situation. They hadn't many opportunities to spend time together, when the one mate was waiting impatiently, the other would just come in the middle of night, give beloved a kiss and quickly fall asleep, exhausted with the duties of previous day. Vixen wasn't happy about that as well, she had practically no opportunity to see Sable, Crag, Tris or Ivory, but she and Viola became quite close friends in that time. While negotiations, together with Dante, they could find a solution to even the most complicated problem, not allowing Verdad to play with them at all. The other noticeable change was Tris. Her pregnancy was already so advanced that it could be seen. The fire breather ate much more than usually, but still, she was too exhausted and it couldn't work well for dragonet. Tris disagreed to suggestion that she should give up on helping them, so the other medics were giving her only those duties, which would exhaust not her body, but only mind, like her beloved alchemy, for example. In the middle of second week of healing, the young dragoness started coughing and had serious fever, because of which she spent five days in bed, until she felt better, but this time couldn't be called a sufficient rest. Accumulation of duties worked well for most likely only one dragon- Ivory. Having no time to talk, to even start thinking deeply, but healing all the time, she could forget about everything that bothered her. About Crag, her uncontrollable magic, about this how really she missed her son. Even if she often worked right next to the earth dragon whose presence annoyed her so badly, they didn't have any conversation longer than several short sentences in last three weeks. Ivory couldn't imagine better status quo as for her. And so, the time in Celeste Tribu passed.

Viola was standing at one of hundreds of rock ledges of Core. It was ending of one of the lower corridors, but still, there was very long way down. The ice dragoness ,leaning against the handrail, spread her wings to feel warm wind, phenomenon surprising as for cave, and watched down. She focused, trying to see the bottom hidden in darkness, but there was no use. Then, idea of spitting down there and waiting for any noise... or voice... from the bottom. Knowing the basic physics, she could count the distance. Viola laughed silently, as she recalled how she, Douten, Tremor, Gaia and Ray were "measuring" the height of elder tower in the eastern city when they were just youngsters. Flame and Lyrian would always say that they were too matured for such childish behavior, but the remaining five of young dragons were doing it quite often. And at one moment, two of them, Tremor and Ray kept claiming that those had been them, spitted exactly at the heads of elders Itara and Cloud, Ray's father. That was definitely the first time for all five of them to fly that fast. The ice dragoness couldn't help laughing silently sighing with nostalgia. She missed Douten and Gaia. Those two were always very close to her. A year earlier, when she and Tremor fell in a wolf ambush far at the southern west, the earth guardian even summoned his sister. Viola had an opportunity to talk with her for a moment. That meeting made her feel much better, as she realized that Gaia had never really left them, her spirit lived in Tremor, after all. Viola sighed deeply once more. She was completely lost in thoughts about her friends so she almost didn't notice a wyvern sneaking to her from behind. What revealed her presence was a loud curse, far behind them, so Viola turned around to see its source. She noticed Leal, standing just several meters behind her.

"What are you doing here?" The ice dragoness asked suspiciously. She stood low on her legs, hissed angrily.

"Quick blow would break wind, then, you'd be pushed above the handrail, fall, screaming fearfully and crush on the ground, breaking so many bones that no one would even notice that something happened to your wing several seconds earlier. I doubt, if anyone would catch you and it's just perfect height to kill someone." Leal explained and Viola watched her with disbelief. "Broken wing, falling down the Core... I told you at the banquet that it could happen to anyone, didn't I?" The princess noticed. The ice dragoness felt creeps across her body. She realized that Leal wasn't joking at all. If she hadn't turned around, she'd be most likely dead by now, or fighting for life, if very, very lucky.

"It's pity that you've turned around, I guess Sable would be mine already." Leal finished sadly.

"Get lost, maybe I won't kill you." Viola hissed angrily. What vexed her wasn't fact that she had been almost killed, but thought that some wyverness would try to lay her filthy paws on her mate.

"Not so rush, Viola. If you did that, you'd be in serious problem." The princess warned her.

"As if I'd care." Viola replied ominously.

"Stop bluffing, I won't believe you any..." Leal said and felt cold ice spike against her cheek. Several centimeters at left and she wouldn't call it just scratch. If she would be able to call anything after taking such a blow.

"Attacked by unknown ambusher, found with slit throat at one of thousands stone ledges of Core. It may happen to anyone." Viola noticed coldly, watching with satisfaction princess's disbelief. "Don't forget about it, Leal." The ice dragoness warned her. Then, she turned around and took flight, not waiting for reaction of aghast princess.

Syrius was sitting before his table, writing down some notes. Next to him, there was his long thin royal sword, leaning against the wall. He had been in his apartment for last several days, he dismissed guards so he could be sure that there was no one around. Then, he heard knocking at the door.

"Please come in." The wyvern said, not even interrupting writing with his beautifully ornamented white plume. The door opened slowly, Syrius heard silent steps, which stopped, as the guest stopped before his desk and sat on a pillow. The wyvern slowly raised his head to see who had come. "It's you, Leal." He noticed with note of disappointment. The wyverness smiled slightly since she noticed this note with easiness.

"Don't tell me that you expected my novio. Sable's quite busy currently." She noticed.

"Novio?" Syrius watched her curiously. "Don't you think that you risk quite much calling that dragon your boyfriend? Especially when you're Cobro's mate."

"Cobro?" Leal laughed silently. "He's enamored with me so badly that he's blind and deaf to my real feelings." The wyverness grasped hilt of her sword. She loved doing that, it was gesture very characteristic for her.

"What brings you here?"Syrius asked. "And what's that scratch at your cheek?"

"You've lost many of your followers lastly, haven't you?" The princess noticed, still playing with her sword.

"In your favor." The wyvern confirmed. He watched the note he had been writing before Leal came. He took plume and finished sentence with two or three words and wrote point. "Not Cobro's, but yours. You don't idle. What do you plan?"

"I don't find it necessary to tell you, uncle." Leal's voice was filled with superiority. She gave Syrius clear sign: You'll know as much as I want you to know. The wyverness wouldn't dare to speak like that to any other member of royal family, but after murdering Crystal Syrius had been deprived of any serious influence in the Celeste Tribu.

"If you plan to make turn over and get yourself and Cobro the throne..." The old wyvern guessed.

"No, I don't. Yet." Leal refused, interrupting him firmly. Syrius couldn't say, if she was lying or not. He hated her speaking like that, he didn't know what to believe in such a situation. "Sable paid you a visit, didn't he?" The princess mentioned casually.

"He did. Together with his mate." Syrius emphasized the last word. He didn't need influence in tribe to hurt Leal painfully. Words were just enough.

"So now novio knows the real reason of your betrayal, am I wrong?" Leal yawned deeply. It looked like she hadn't been sleeping much lately.

"You're right." Syrius confirmed. "He wasn't pleasured with that."

"No surprise." Leal noticed with such a voice, as if she talked to some moron, who stated obvious fact. "So, do you feel remorse?"

"You're here not to care about my frame of mind. What do you imply?" Syrius decided to play strict as well. After all, to him Leal was just a kid and he couldn't allow her to dominate him.

"If you could choose once again in the night when Sable was banished, would you stand on his side this time?" Leal quit mincing her words.

"I would." Syrius declared. The wyverness smiled slightly, there was something mysterious about her grin. She definitely was planning something as well, the old wyvern knew her for too long to miss that.

"Thank you." She turned around and left. No farewell, no goodbye, she simply left, not bothering herself with any explanation or at least basic manners.

"Leal!" Syrius called her, but wyverness didn't react, only closed door behind herself, showing her superiority to him. The wyvern hit his desk angrily and cursed loudly. He narrowed his sword, leaning against the wall. He hated Leal and slaughtering her was very tempting idea. That youngster had already become too involved, too influential in the policy of Celeste Tribu. She was very problematic, both for him and Verdad, even if his brother couldn't see that yet. Syrius would kill her leaving no witness, no evidence, no one would dare accuse the member of royal family because of only suspicions. He would regain many of his followers, everything would be perfect again. The only problem was avoiding being sent to the dragon city, but...

Vixen was wandering carelessly across the Celeste Tribu, singing some song silently. She was walking with dancing step not caring about surprised sights of wyverns, only grinning. She expected them to glare at her, after all, singing little dragoness wasn't casual view in Celeste Tribu. Vixen loved singing, for reason only she knew, she never did it when Sable was around and asked everyone who saw that not to tell him, because "he'd laugh". The black dragoness was far away from apartments of nobility. In first week, she was a little scared about walking carelessly like that, all surrounded by wyverns, but doubts quickly disappeared as she explained herself that after all, no one would attack her in such a crowd and even if, she could defend herself. The Primero's fighting partner weren't just empty words, she could even face Cynder in battle. She'd most likely lose, but she didn't think of this part. The first sentence of that argument was fortifying and she not really wanted to ruin it. Vixen walked some empty corridor, enjoying the echo of her song. Wandering carelessly, she barely felt someone's presence. She turned around, making defensive stance. A little too late. The shadow who knocked her out, caught her throat and pushed her to the ground. The attacker grinned. Vixen knew it, even if she couldn't see that.

"It's been a while, huh, Vixen?" He asked.

"Principe." The black dragoness whispered with disbelief. She noticed that she was already shaking in fear and cursed herself in mind.

"You're back. I thought that you'd hide in Warfang and never show up in Celeste Tribu. And yet, here you are. And you even brought your..."

"Don't you dare using this word!" Vixen shouted, but not ordering, only begging. In her eyes, there appeared tears. She was so scared. She only wished she could escape from Principe.

"Right, I've completely forgotten. You told no one. It still remains our little secret." The attacker held her a little stronger and Vixen squeaked painfully to his satisfaction. "There are so many things that you should tell him and you remained silent, just as you promised. Good dragoness."

"What do you want from me?" Vixen asked silently, there was no even a note of demand in her question. It sounded rather as if minion asked her master.

"Nothing. Literally. I want you to do nothing, to keep this status quo the way it is. Can you do this for me?" Principe sounded, as if he really gave her choice. Young dragoness remained silent. "Vixen, don't make me wait for answer." In his voice, there was hidden threat which she couldn't miss.

"I can do it, Principe." The black dragoness confirmed silently. She was crying. The attacker watched her carefully.

"Oh, it's so easy to bring you to the tears. I didn't even scratch you." He noticed."So, from what I've heard, you've been quite active while negotiations with the key members of nobility and Señor de la Tribu himself, haven't you?"

"You can see for yourself, Principe. If you want, you can partici..." Vixen didn't finish her sentence, but squeaked painfully, as she felt terrible pain at her side. He didn't wound her, only gave pain.

"Humility, Vixen. Remember about humility." Principe ordered."You've become cocky since our last meeting. And policy is boring for me, that's why I ask you. So, have you been active?" He repeated his question.

"Yes, I've been. When I have something to say, I say." Vixen confirmed with submissiveness. Principe smiled slightly.

"And how about Viola? Officially, she's the main negotiator of dragons, am I wrong?"

"Yes, she..." The black dragoness squeaked painfully again, as she wasn't allowed to finish the sentence.

"Am I wrong?" Principe asked again. He loved playing with her like that.

"No, you're not." Vixen refused quickly. She watched the ground. There were already several of her tears lying on the cold rocky floor. "Viola's definitely the leader in negotiations. She has both experience and talent."

"Like her mother, huh?" Principe noticed.

"Most likely." The black dragoness confirmed silently. Then, she felt that she was dropped. Her heart started leaping madly in joy. Would he let her go just like that? She could hardly believe that.

"Go, return to your apartment. I don't want something happen to you." In last attacker's sentence, there was hidden hint of irony. "And remember, Storm, tell no one a word about me. About all that they know. It's your mission to keep the status quo. You know what will happen if you fail me, don't you?"

The black dragoness slowly stood up nodded quickly and walked away. She didn't reply with the sentence, not even with single word, as Principe expected her to do. She could take liberties with at least farewell. The black dragoness spread her wings and flew away quickly, before Principe would change his mind. Vixen didn't even try to stop tears, as she was flying up the Core.

In an hour, Vixen managed to cry all the tears she had and calm herself down, so she could return to her apartment and no one would notice her real state. Vixen opened door and slowly entered inside. As expected, Dante and Viola were there. The ice dragoness was laying and reading one of tens book and smiling slightly all the time. Meanwhile, the poet was sitting before the table and, with his head in clouds, he was writing some poems, he didn't even notice the black dragoness coming. Viola jerked her head curiously and smiled, as she noticed Vixen.

"There you are! We've been already worried where have you gone." She said. Then, wind dragoness watched skeptically Dante who raised his head to only wave her and continue writing. "Well, I was worried. Dante kept writing." Viola corrected and Vixen smiled slightly.

"And why should you worry about me? I've been to here for a while, I can't get lost." The black dragoness noticed.

"Well, you never know what could happen." Viola explained.

"Will Dante say a word?" Vixen asked, hoping for any reply, but she heard none. The azure dragoness laughed silently.

"Oh, I doubt that. I guess that currently, he's inspired. Do you see how quickly he writes?" Indeed, Dante's black pen was dancing on sheet of paper quickly as if it was mad. "At this state he rarely reacts to environment. I doubt if earthquake would interrupt him." Viola sighed deeply.

"Do you really mean it or just exaggerate?" Vixen watched her doubtfully.

"I really mean it." The azure dragoness confirmed. "Try to tell him something." She suggested. The other dragoness nodded. She already had some idea. Vixen shouted at him angrily. No reaction. Even slightest. Vixen grinned. She accepted challenge. She started shouting at him. For unknown reason, his lack of reaction was amusing. She was doing it for about a minute, but still there was no use. As if he was completely deaf. "...who keeps writing the cheap imitation of what we call the poetry…" Dante reacted. Pretty fast. Vixen didn't even notice when. The earth dragon threw his plume, all covered in ink, in her mouth, painting her tongue. It didn't took long for young dragoness to realize that wyvern ink, very specific, was the most disgusting thing she had ever had in her mouth. She immediately started trying to get rid of dark liquid on her tongue, but uselessly. Viola laughed loudly, completely not expecting such a situation. Dante smiled slightly.

"Watch your tongue, could you?" He noticed. Then, without a second of consideration, he continued writing quickly, before he would lose inspiration. Meanwhile, the azure dragoness handed her friend an apple. Vixen bit it quickly, to her great relief, getting rid of disgusting taste. Then, she watched Viola with blame.

"Not even an earthquake, huh?" She repeated skeptically.

"Well, an earthquake not, but insulting his poetry is completely different matter." Viola explained.

"Exactly." Dante confirmed, not interrupting writing. If he wasn't doing that, he would most likely rhyme, but he was too focused to do this. Then Vixen watched carefully the book Viola was reading.

"What do you read?" Vixen asked curiously.

"A novel, the title is "The matter of faith". It's a partly romance, partly a crime story, very psychological. You must read it, it's brilliant." Then, Viola smiled slightly. "If only the main heroine wasn't scared to break the cruel status quo, which..."

"Hey, don't spoil!" Vixen pleased.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Viola explained herself. The black dragoness sighed deeply. If only she wasn't scared to break this cruel status quo, which was not going to bring anything good to her and her friends. But she couldn't do it. She feared what would happen to her if she did. She simply couldn't withstand Principe. She was helpless against him. All that she could do was keeping the status quo. The silent agreement to what was going to happen.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22. "Lesson"

Oscuro quickly drawn his sword. It was long, quite wide and silver blade, lacking any ornaments, perfectly straight. It was double-edged, neither of edges was straight, at each of them, there were rectangular irregularities, because of which sword looked like some key to the great gate. Its edges were green, but those weren't ornaments. It was deadly poison, his trump card in every duel. One scratch and the battle was over. He obviously always carried with himself several bottles of the antidote, in case of wounding himself or someone when he didn't intend to do so. The prince swung his blade quickly and precisely. With years of practice, he couldn't make any mistake. He was definitely the best fencer in whole Celeste Tribu, even without using poison. If he really wanted to do so, he could get his father's throne, but he not really cared about it. All that he needed was his family. Luna, leaning against wall next to the door, smiled slightly, as she watched her mate training.

"Why aren't you the heir to the throne? With those abilities, with your knowledge and talent about policy you'd make perfect king. Definitely better than Cobro." She noticed.

"I don't have such ambitions." Oscuro kept swinging his sword with such a speed that despite its width, it was only silver flash. He was training with doll. Throat, heart, kidney, armpit. He touched all these points, gently and yet quickly, so doll didn't move at all. Then, he jumped and swung his blade in a semicircle, hitting with dull side of sword exactly at doll's side of head, so it fell on the ground several meters farther. The wyverness bounced from the wall gently before he landed and walked to her mate. Oscuro quickly hid his sword and kissed his mate who had just enclosed.

"I remember how you used to do such a things with me as a doll. Not counting the last blow, obviously." Luna noticed.

"After last accident, I'm not going to repeat it." The prince repeated his decision from about month earlier.

"Come on, it was just a scratch." Luna noticed.

"Just a scratch?" Oscuro watched her doubtfully. "Several centimeters farther and even my antipoison wouldn't help you." He recalled the incident. "You have no idea how scared about you I was when you fainted just like that..."

"I know. I could see it when I watched deeply into your eyes." The wyverness smiled coquettishly and nuzzled her mate. In several seconds, her smile gradually disappeared. "Do you really have to leave?"

"You know, duty calls, duty calls. We've lacked envoys lately." The prince sighed sadly. "I'll be back soon." He promised. Luna only laughed with melodious voice. She had beautiful, melodious voice, she had been singing for years after all.

"Soon? Not later than in a month, will you?" She pleased. Oscuro sighed deeply.

"I'll give my best to be back very fast." He promised. "Luna, I don't like this situation."

"What's wrong?" The wyverness asked carefully. She knew that if her mate was disturbed, it couldn't mean anything positive.

"Dragons. I have feeling that someone is going to use them for his own purpose. Lastly, the balance of forces in Celeste Tribu has been seriously perturbed, I can feel it, I hear the rumors. The king has his plan, uncle Syrius keeps making his moves as well, not speaking of Leal, who had joined the game and still doesn't have the trump card, but tries to get it as well as the others. And in middle of that storm, there are those seven dragons. For all members of the royal family it's a perfect opportunity to win something for themselves. Those who bend Sable and others to their will, win. I'm still not sure what, maybe only influence, maybe even the throne. But the game goes on, no one means to give up. Luna, you have to be careful. In next weeks, something is going to happen. I fear if it won't be another take over." The wyverness just smiled to her mate in reply.

"I'll be careful, no worries. You know me." She assured. Then, Oscuro smiled grinned.

"That's exactly why I'm worried." He explained. "If something endangers Sable or any of dragons, help them, will you? If it doesn't endanger you, of course." The prince pleased.

"Yes, but I doubt if that will be necessary. The king wouldn't dare imprisoning envoys, even if Sable is one of them." Luna noticed. "The mess that would start after that would be very troublesome for him."

"It's not as simple as you say." Oscuro replied tersely. Then, he kissed his mate. "Goodbye, sweetheart. I'll be back soon." Luna smiled slightly.

"Bye, Oscuro." She bided her mate farewell and watched him leaving. She didn't accompany him to the main gate where his escort was waiting. She always hated long farewells.

Luna didn't even manage to leave when the guard entered to her house and bowed before her. It was heavily armored, elite guard, one of special squad whose only mission was protecting each member of the royal family, all of them were trusted wyverns.

"A dragoness wishes to meet you, Princess." The wyvern explained.

"Let her in." Luna's voice wasn't ordering, she never was firm, when ordering. She couldn't get used to be exalted, after all, the most of her life she had spent not as noble, but average wyverness. After several seconds, there walked in a young black dragoness. Luna watched her with surprise.

"Vixen? What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"I need to ask you for a favor." Vixen explained. Wyverness's heart rate immediately spiked. Have they already fallen in trouble? That was her first thought.

"What is it?" She asked. If she wasn't perfect in controlling her voice, she'd definitely stutter.

"Can you teach me singing?" The black dragoness pleased. "I know you've been singer for many years." The princess sighed with relief silently. She grinned.

"Don't you have duties like the negotiations?" Luna noticed.

"I do, but I have quite much free time as well." Vixen explained.

"Fine then, I can teach you." The princess agreed.

"Thanks." The black dragoness grinned thankfully. "By the way, could you not mention Sable about this?" She pleased.

"Why not?" The wyverness watched her carefully.

"Sable would laugh if he heard that." Vixen explained.

"I doubt, if he would. He loves the music, trust me. His mother had such a beautiful voice..." Luna sighed deeply with nostalgia. "He'd be rather pleasured, if he heard such a news." She argued.

"No, Sable would just laugh. Trust me." Dragoness's voice was very firm, she was absolutely convinced about that. The princess watched her carefully for several seconds, but then she just shrugged.

"Fine. I will tell no word to anyone." She promised. "Now, I'll take some notes and let's start singing!" And so, Vixen had her first singing lesson. She really needed it, but not because she wanted to be a singer. She didn't look into the future beyond Celeste Tribu. She wanted to busy herself with something. Anything. And singing, which she loved so badly, would make it just perfect.

Sable went inside dragons' apartment. Since Oscuro's leaving, there passed a week, there've been to Celeste Tribu for whole month already and he finally got the free time. The lightning dragon looked around. There was only Viola, she was laying on the floor and reading some novel. Sable sneaked to her and kissed her lovingly. The ice dragoness interrupted glaring into pages of book and smiled blissfully. The novel was closed, making characteristic noise.

"Sable, aren't you with the other medics?" Viola asked, pleasurably surprised.

"Nope, Alivio told us that we're free. Where are the others?" Sable explained and gave his mate asking sight.

"Vixen sneaked out somewhere, Dante said that he was going with Tris to take a breath of fresh air. I've no idea what about Crag or Ivory." The azure dragoness stood up and nuzzled her mate. "So, we're all alone." She noticed, her tail slipped across his chest suggestively.

"Why when you say alone, there's only one thought on your mind?" Sable asked, watching her with amusement.

"You're the one to be blamed here." Viola explained and nuzzled her mate. "So, any plan for tonight?" She asked curiously.

"Let's go somewhere. I already have an idea." Sable decided.

"In Celeste or outside?" The azure dragoness asked curiously.

"In Celeste." Sable confirmed. "I want to show you wyverns who you'd never meet just negotiating." He explained. "And in the night..." Viola giggled silently and kissed her mate. They hadn't spent any evening together for last month, so she couldn't be any happier than in that moment.

"So, are we going?" She asked with impatience. Sable nodded slightly and two mates left the apartment, locking the door behind them. They walked down the Core and landed quite close to its bottom. They walked across some corridors and stopped before average door. Even before Sable opened it, Viola could hear loud conversing voices, steps, the music, singing. When they entered, she also saw about fifty wyverns sitting at tables, drinking and eating, telling jokes, arguing. Before them, there was stage where several wyverns were playing loud, rhythmic, but not schematic music. Between them and the stage, there was quite a lot of free place. Viola took deep breath as she felt tasty aroma of roasted meat, unknown to her herbs and sweet fruits. The lightning dragon leaded his mate to the free table, standing in the corner. Several wyverns watched carefully two dragons, but they turned their sights several seconds later, as they realized that neither of newcomers paid them attention.

"What is this place?" Viola asked curiously.

"Welcome to Verde Milla. It's taberna." Sable explained. Then, some wyvern walked to them. Even in not really intensive light of torches, both dragons could see that he was quite old, sixty, maybe seventy.

"Sable, I've already started believing that you have completely forgotten about us." The old wyvern smiled. He didn't speak dragon, but wyvern language, but Viola, knowing the basics, managed to understand him.

"How could I, Mr. Grantero?" The lightning dragon smiled slightly. "I simply had no time. You know, the pandemic isn't as simple to be fought as we would wish it to be." He noticed.

"What do you want to eat?" Innkeeper asked.

"Your speciality, please." Sable said with not even a second of consideration.

"And for you, miss?" The old wyvern watched Viola curiously, most likely expecting her not to understand his speech. But he underestimated Viola.

"This same as my mate." The azure dragoness explained. The innkeeper nodded and walked away, back to the kitchen. Then, Viola enclosed her face to Sable's so there were only several centimeters between them.

"So, how did you, the prince of Celeste Tribu, find your way here?" She asked with unhidden curiosity. Far away from any nobility, it wasn't a right place for young prince after all.

"Accidentally, I wandered off here. I used to sneak out here, as the youngster. My mother hated me doing that. But I love this place's aura. Wyverns, but not the nobility, are fascinating nation." Sable explained and his mate watched him questioningly. "They're extremely territorial, once you're on their terrain, like here, you have to follow their rules."

"And what are those rules?" Viola was really curious of that place. As envoy, she never had opportunity to see wyvern tavern.

"No titles. Here, there are no kings, there are only we, equal to each other. Only person we should respect are the older than us wyverns and it's only matter of politeness, not law. Besides, lack of any sophisticated manners, so characteristic to nobility." Sable explained.

"So, you were here just an average wyvern? And no one had recognized you?" The azure dragoness asked with disbelief. Sable laughed silently.

"Of course they had recognized me. They called me Principe, but it wasn't title, only a nickname. You know, the other fascinating thing about them is their specific sense of humor and unpredictability."

Sable smiled silently, most likely in his mind, there appeared some memory. "You never know what will happen next when you're surrounded by those." He said. Then, the attention of two dragons was brought by the movement at the stage. There appeared some quite young wyverness, from words of the other wyverns, Sable and Viola knew that her name was Elise. The wyverness, maximum twenty years old, turned her head to the orchestra, whispering something and nodding slightly. Then, she started singing. But she wasn't singing like Viola expected her to, with gentle, silent and melodious voice. Her song was strong, very rhythmic, the words were simple, not serious, but some telling ridiculous story. Even Viola, not really talented in wyvern's language kept smiling, though often missing so beloved by wyverns ambiguities. Some wyverns singing with Elise, especially chorus. At the end, encouraged by singer, all wyverns sung the last words, even Viola and Sable who easily learnt chorus's words, joined them.

"I really like the aura." The azure dragoness admitted, as the song came to the end. "It's perfect to relax and have some entertainment after exhausting day."

"That's why so many wyverns are here. The most of them are hunters who had just returned to Celeste after week or more of absence." Sable confirmed. "But the loveliest thing of this place is unpredictability. You never know when..." The lightning dragon didn't finish.

"Watch out, Principe!" Sable heard familiar voice, turned around just in time to catch a wooden sword, thrown exactly in his head. Then, there was the disappointed sigh. The lightning dragon grinned seeing the wyvern who had thrown the staff.

"Reto! It's been a while!" Sable greeted him cheerfully.

"Indeed, Principe." The wyvern confirmed. "So the rumors were true. And that's your mate?" He asked curiously, watching the azure dragoness.

"Yes, I'm Viola." She introduced herself.

"Reto, nice to meet you." After greeting her, he turned to Sable. "So, how about a duel? Let's see, who's better after all these years." He suggested. Sable shrugged.

"Why not. Here?" The lightning dragon asked. The wyvern nodded. Then, he quickly jumped on the table and started speaking loudly.

"Everyone, pay attention, please! I'll fight Principe, who has been gone for so many years!" Reto shouted in wyvern language. In that moment Sable realized that the last time they had met, Reto didn't know dragons' speech at all and he had just spoke with them using it. He had to ask him about it later. All the wyverns watched him and Sable carefully. They stood at empty area in center of tavern. "Elise, could you?" He pleased singer who nodded slightly and started singing. "Ready, Principe?"

"Yes." Sable said and wyvern attacked rapidly. The lightning dragon blocked the blow, not without a problem. Reto was really fast. He swung the staff three times more, but Sable blocked all the blows. Their fight was getting more and more intensive and Elise's song, fast, loud and jumpy, telling about the great battle of two heroes, only made those two more excited about the fight. Neither of them wanted to lose. It was matter of their honor. Then, their blades crossed for several seconds.

"I've heard that you were beaten by that little fire breather from your team. Trif, right?" Sable sighed and his opponent grinned. Even those news reached wyverns.

"Tris." Sable corrected him reluctantly.

"In that case, I've already won." Reto noticed triumphantly.

"I doubt that." Sable refused, swinging staff horizontally, but wyvern blocked it. "You see, she was lucky. And you..." Then, Sable made three fast attacks. Two of them, horizontal, stopped at wyvern's weapon, but the last, vertical, hit exactly his forehead. Sable smiled slightly. "And you're not." Reto put paw on his head, hissing painfully. Then, he grinned. Everyone started clapping as the duel was over now.

"I could expect this from you. You'll never let me win." Then, wyvern watched Viola carefully. "And are you as good fencer as your mate?" He turned to her.

"Fencer? Definitely not." The azure dragoness laughed silently. "I've never held a sword, honestly. But I'm not bad fighter." She explained.

"How about I give you a lesson of swordsmanship?" Reto suggested.

"Reto, don't..." Sable tried to interrupt.

"With pleasure." Viola agreed and her mate sighed deeply. "What? I trust he'll be gentle." She noticed.

"Only because you don't know him." The lightning dragon muttered. Then, he handled her the staff. "Here you are. Do you know how to hold it?" He watched her doubtfully.

"I've seen you thousands times doing it." Viola grasped her staff and Sable stood back, sitting comfortably. He knew that it was going to be maybe not really long, but an amusing show. The others realized that as well and watched those two carefully. Elise, always caring about right atmosphere, started singing ridiculous ditty starting with words "The hatchling wanted to fly". It fit the situation perfectly.

"Do you hold it strongly?" Reto asked the dragoness. She, standing with staff ten or twenty centimeters before her face, nodded slightly. Then, without a warning, the wyvern swung his weapon quickly, aiming at her wooden sword. He hit it so strongly that he bent Viola's paw hitting her right in jaw with her own staff. All wyverns laughed aloud and Sable smiled slightly, watching her with amusement. She wanted training so she had it. Viola hissed painfully and massaged her jaw.

"Lesson one. Hold your sword strongly. Should we continue?" Reto seemed to be having the great time, he was even whistling the song's melody silently.

"Yes." While saying those words, Viola jumped to Reto and attacked him, not waiting for him to prepare. The wyvern blocked her blow, but her tail wrapped around his legs knocking him out. Then, she poked his chest with staff, smiled and turned around, about to walk away.

"Don't..." Sable tried to warn her. Too late. The azure dragoness was pushed away strongly with wyvern's kick. Viola lost balance, rolled over some table at which, thanks ancestors, there was no food, and fell on the floor hardly. All the wyverns laughed again and Sable watched his mate curiously. In her eyes, there still was will to fight. He smiled slightly, as Viola stood up and walked to Reto once more.

"Lesson two. Never ever show your back to enemy, even if you laid a blow on him. Ready for lesson three?" The wyvern asked. The dragoness nodded slightly. "The third thing that… You have to be fast." Reto attacked rapidly, even faster than before. But Viola was quick just as well. The wyvern meant to hit her forehead with straight arm, but dragoness stepped forward to him and caught his arm, right before he reached her. Reto, surprised, didn't even notice when Viola hit his jaws strongly. The wyvern fell on the ground, hearing Elise's words "hatchling flew at last". All wyverns started clapping and Viola stepped back, all the time watching Reto carefully. After several seconds, the wyvern stood up.

"So, what's the lesson four?" Viola asked curiously, grinning insolently. Next to her stood Sable who nuzzled her lovingly.

"You were training her fencing, weren't you?" Reto asked Sable. The lightning dragon smiled slightly.

"I wasn't." He refused.

"You were." The wyvern and dragon glared into each other eyes. After several seconds, Reto cursed silently. "Lucky girl you are." He said with annoyance to Viola. Two dragons just laughed and went back to their table. The wyvern, dejected, bided them goodbye and left the tavern with intend to train, as he said. Dragons spent in tavern an hour more, eating their dinner and listening to Elise's songs. The rest of the night they spent outside, under the beautiful, starry sky. For whole the month they had spent in Celeste Tribu, it was definitely the best night for Sable and Viola.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23. "The picture of us"

Ivory was sitting on the hill all alone. She was far away from Celeste Tribu. She needed silence not to focus magic, but to extinguish it. She was losing control on it, she could feel it, especially near Crag. One his smile, meeting of eyes, several words, even greeting, and her magic was already boiling, this terrifying, metallic voice in her mind was screaming to kill him. Thanks ancestors she could spend all her magic to heal wyverns. If not that, she had no idea what would happen. The white dragoness was lost in thoughts, thinking about that Crona whom Alivo mentioned on their first meeting. Who was she? Maybe she could help her with her magic? Could Ivory reach that mysterious dragoness? Then, the white dragoness heard some noise behind her.

"Who's there?" She asked, not turning around. She hoped the newcomer would just walk away. She preferred to be all alone.

"It's me, Crag." The earth dragon introduced himself. Ivory's heart rate rapidly spiked. The wizard tried to control herself. Only tried, cursing her magic in mind. She quickly stood up and jumped back, hissing angrily. Her eyes were glowing with magic. Anger, memories of previous meetings, simply overwhelmed her. She rapidly felt this tempting need to kill that cursed earth dragon, who dared speaking Flush's name so lightly.

"Get lost." She ordered, her voice was already doubled by magic. "I've already warned you."

"I know." Crag confirmed. He was speaking coldly, he was really self-possessed.

"Why don't you fear me? Why don't you fear death?" The white dragoness started making circles around Crag.

"Because for at least once, I don't want to fuck this all up." The earth dragon explained. Wizard just snorted scornfully.

"What can you know about failing? Have you lost your father just because of your weakness? Have you been reason of your mate's death?" She asked. "You have no idea what it means to fail everyone around you."

"You've watched your mate's funeral, haven't you?" The earth dragon asked. His voice was deprived of any feelings. Ivory howled madly, there could be felt magical pressure around her. Oh, she wanted to kill him so badly, she would do that any second. No one could stop her. Not even Ivory herself.

"What do you know about this, huh?!" She shouted. "You've endured nothing I have!"

"I haven't had enough courage to watch my mate's funeral." Crag confessed. White dragoness's eyes grew wide, as she watched him with disbelief. Something cracked in her. The magic surrounding her rapidly disappeared. All at once.

"You... you've lost your mate?" Ivory asked, stuttering. She always thought that Crag knew no feelings, which she was put through. And it looked like his story was exactly like her. It was so surprising to her. Crag smiled sadly. He had to thank Vixen for telling him where she had gone.

"Yes, I have. I'm sorry, Ivory. There, at Dante's Freezer... I did a terrible thing to both of us." He confessed. Ivory felt relief flowing inside her heart. He forgave her for that incident. And voice of her magic allowed her to forgive as well.

"That's fine. It happened, but it doesn't mean anything anymore." The white dragoness sat down. "Come on, sit down with me." She suggested. The earth dragon sat down next to her. Between them, there fell silence for several seconds.

"So, we're friends again?" Crag smiled slightly. Ivory's lips curled gently as well.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I was so mad at you after what you did at Dante's Freezer." She confessed.

"You really loved your mate, didn't you?" The earth dragon noticed, not wanting to speak about that incident anymore.

"I still do. This love defines me. He protected me for that I could live on and use my magic for goodness of dragons around me. Even death is not a reason for this love to end." Ivory confirmed. "My mate and son are whole world to me. Don't take it personally, Crag, you'd be perfect mate, it's just... I don't want any. It would be like betraying Flush."

"The old or young one?" Crag asked. From tone of her voice he couldn't guess who she meant. The white dragoness remained silent for several seconds.

"Both of them." Ivory explained.

"Raising your son without father isn't easy, is it?" Crag noticed.

"No, it's not." The white dragoness agreed. "But with help of friends... It goes pretty well." Then, she watched curiously Crag. "How about you? What was your mate's name?" Ivory asked, still unsure, if she should do it.

"Lisanna, the ice dragoness." Crag said. "I've lost her five years ago. Do you want me to tell this story?" He asked.

"Only if you wish so." The ice dragoness said. Her friend nodded slightly.

Five years earlier

"Lisanna, have you seen my anatomy book?!" Crag shouted from his room, hoping that his mate would hear him, since he didn't know where she was. He heard steps and door opened. The earth dragon smiled watching Lisanna. She was so beautiful.

"Don't shout." She pleased silently. Crag watched her, a little dumbstruck. "Idris." The ice dragoness explained with one word.

"Right." Crag smiled and nodded. Lisanna had read somewhere that dragonets don't like loud noises, but her mate kept forgetting about that. "Have you seen my anatomy book?" He asked. "I've been looking for it for an hour already and..." He interrupted as he saw Lisanna taking some book from deep chest.

"Here it is." Lisanna handed it to him, smiling slightly. Crag watched her with disbelief.

"How are you doing it?" He asked. The dragoness only giggled and kissed his cheek.

"Just like that." She explained and meanwhile, Crag hid his book to bag on his side. The ice dragoness sighed deeply. "Do you really have to leave? You'll miss Idris's hatching." She said sadly.

"Sorry, but Teria won't wait. If I don't leave now, I'll lose opportunity to study medicine in their academy. It's only six months, the shortest time I could choose." Crag sighed deeply. "I feel terribly about this, but it's my only chance and once I'm back, I won't leave you for even a second." He promised.

"You know that first three months are the most important for hatchling to build relationship with parents?" Lisanna argued. She was encyclopedia of such medical information.

"Lisanna..." Crag watched deeply into her eyes. He wanted to argue, but he lacked arguments.

"Crag! Crag!" Two dragons heard voice from outside. They ran to window and watched out. There was standing Chris, Lisanna's ex-fiancé, calling out to them. Across the street, there were running some dragons. "Graves was badly wounded, he says that wolves are about to attack!"

"Wolves?! How many?!" Crag asked with disbelief.

"Not many, but still, we need every dragon!" Chris explained.

"I'm going!" Crag jumped through the window. "Take Graves to my house! Lisanna, heal him and don't leave the house!"

"But..." The ice dragoness tried to argue.

"No time for this!" Crag shouted and ran with Chris to other dragons. All the males gathered before Ignifier's house who was the leader of the village. There were about eighty, maybe more males. Only several of them had armor, most of them didn't have any or lacked time to wear those. Before all fighters, there stood Ignifier.

"Everyone, there's enclosing to our village group of about fifty wolves, they will attack the east side of village. All the females and hatchlings are now being evacuated to the western side of city, ten dragons were sent to protect them. If something goes wrong, they'll call for help. Now, we're going!" All the eighty dragons moved to the western side of village and stood in four rows, twenty dragons in each. In forest, there could be heard some noises. The wolves were enclosing.

"They're going to make front attack?" Ignifier asked with disbelief. Could they be that predictable? Then, dragons heard loud howl and scream.

"For freedom!" Some wolf shouted. Several dozens of wolves ran out the forest straight at dragons. When wolves were about ten meters from dragons, when they started believing in victory, Ignifier grinned ominously.

"Fire!" He shouted. Twenty fire breathers created great wave of the fire, which consumed and killed those reckless enough to run not caring about consequences. Wolves started hiding behind rocks from all four elements flying everywhere. One of them took bow and arrow. Then, he fell on the ground with to ice spike in his throat, which also crushed the bow. Crag didn't take part in battle, only stood behind the fighters. Then, he noticed two wolves sneaking between houses. They were going at the northern side of village. There was no one already, everyone was evacuated... Lisanna! She was healing Graves! Crag cursed silently and followed the wolves. He narrowed Chris, the fire breather saw both him and those wolves, he'd join him in just a second. All the wolves and Crag went on the one street. Now he could see that there were three of them, one of them was archer.

"Hey you!" The earth dragon shouted. Two wolves ran to him. The archer took a bow and Crag cursed silently. He never was fast. Definitely not fast enough to avoid a flying arrow. But wolf didn't aim at him. He turned left, aiming at some house. Then, his heart rate spiked, as he realized, which house. His. Lisanna's. Idris's egg could be clearly seen from the window, at which wolf aimed.

"Lisanna!" Crag shouted desperately, praying in his mind to ancestors. The arrow left wolf's bow. For the second, there fell silence.

"No!" Lisanna shouted desperately. Crag's heart skipped a beat. He... he crushed the egg. He simply knew it. The other arrow appeared in archer's bow, a second later it left the bow. The earth dragon heard female shriek and noise of falling body. The earth dragon stopped for a second. Wolves did not. They both jumped to him, one of them swung his rugged blade. Crag was mad. Where Chris was?! What was he thinking he was doing by not coming?! The earth dragon caught wolf's arm and slashed his throat. Then, the other attacked. The dragon tried to kill him as well, but he wasn't that lucky. Wolf slashed quickly his arm and, jumping away from enemy's talons, left deep wound on his chest. Crag fell on his back. He saw wolf trying to sting him with sword right into face. He blocked blow with paw, which, though pierced, managed to change blade's direction, avoiding his head for centimeters. Crag knocked out not expecting counter attack wolf. Then, he hit his throat with clubbed tail, crushing it. He took off the blade from his paw, hissing painfully and finished wolf using it. Then, he felt terrible pain in his shoulder. He jerked his head to see arrow sticking out from it. He turned at the archer and tried to run, but then, second arrow pierced his thigh and he fell on the ground. He saw the archer, only ten meters farther, grinning insolently. The murder of his family. He took another arrow. Crag howled and stood up, just to fall a second later with arrow in right side of his chest.

"Crag!" The earth dragon heard female shout. "Crag!" It was her. Lisanna. She ran out the house with a broken arrow sticking out of her shoulder. She attacked the archer, shooting the volley of ice spikes. Wolf jumped back, avoiding all of those. Then, he stretched the bow again, aiming at Lisanna's head. He couldn't miss. And Crag knew that. Archer released arrow. Lisanna shut the eyes down, knowing that blow would come. But it didn't. The ice dragoness saw only great earth wall before her. Crag shielded her. The archer, not thinking much, took another arrow and aimed at Crag. Lisanna felt creeps across her body, as she heard painful scream of her mate, whose belly was pierced with another arrow. Then, the ice dragoness ran to archer from behind the wall and attacked him. Wolf blocked the blow, but didn't even notice when ice spike appeared in his throat. The archer fell dead. Then, Lisanna ran to her mate.

"Crag! Crag!" She shouted, begging in mind that her mate would be still alive. She crouched before the earth dragon, laying on his side and hissing in painful agony. "You're alive!" The ice dragoness noticed with relief.

"Are... are you alright?" Crag asked silently.

"Of course, I am." Lisanna confirmed. Then, she started carefully taking arrows from his body and healing his wounds. "Hang, on, I'll heal you." She released the magic, bringing relief to his body, being consumed by pain.

"My belly... I think he shot through my liver, I have eternal bleedings." The earth dragon explained.

"Understood." Lisanna nodded slightly. Then, magical aura stopped flowing from her paws. The ice dragoness's eyes grew wide. "No, not now!" She shouted with disbelief. Then, she cursed silently. She never had great magic amount and she had used very much of it for Graves. And now, she was out of it already. She knew that she couldn't count for anyone else, they had only one more medic in the village and he was most likely busy with healing the wounded in battle.

"Crag, use exchange of lifes between us." The ice dragoness suggested.

"What are you talking about?" Crag watched her, scared.

"With this, you can transfer me your magical power, so I'll be able to heal you. Hurry, there's no time!" Lisanna was in rush, so Crag didn't oppose. She made shallow wounds at their paws and connected them. "Now?" She asked.

"Yes, now." The earth dragon confirmed. Lisanna took her paw away from his, between there appeared stream of red aura. "Fine, I'm giving you my magical..." Crag interrupted in half of sentence as he felt some pleasure warmth flowing into his body. It definitely wasn't cold magical energy. "What are you..." He watched his mate with disbelief. In her eye, there appeared tear.

"I lied. You can't transfer using it. But exchange of lifes works both sides. I'll save you." She explained. Her mate's eyes grew wide. He tried to force to stop her with magic, but his life essence was simply too weak already.

"No, Lisanna! Stop! You can't..." He tried to argue. Then, the ice dragoness interrupted him, kissing his lips passionately.

"I can't watch you dying, Crag. Not you." She was already crying. "Live."

"No!" The earth dragon shouted. He cursed in his mind silently. Why was there no one around? Why didn't Chris come? Was he still fighting or what? "Lisanna, I beg you, stop! This spell is killing you!" A simple tear flown down his cheek from narrow of his eye, while he was cursing his own magic, his own abilities. He wished he was never given those skills.

"I know." The ice dragoness wasn't going to interrupt the spell, no matter what would happen. "You've promised that you'd protect me, Crag. But it works both sides. And I'm not going to watch you die."

"Lisanna, just let me go. This is my last wish. Just fill it." The earth dragon begged. If only he could stop her, he'd do it immediately. But once created connection couldn't be interrupted.

"It's not you last wish, so I won't fill it." The ice dragoness smiled with something like cheerfulness, as if she wasn't going to die. "But fill mine, will you, Crag?"

"Lisanna..." The earth dragon wanted to argue, but his mate laid her finger on his lips.

"Shh." She pleased for silence. "Smile. Fill your life with such a joy, as if I was on your side for whole this time. Will you?" She pleased, smiling slightly.

"I can't!" The earth screamed desperately, slowly realizing his helplessness. "I love you, Lisanna."

"I love you too." His mate kissed him passionately for the very last time. Their kiss was filled with such a sorrow and love that any try to describe those would be pathetic substitute of that happening. Before their lips disconnected, both of them passed out. Both of them in that same moment.

Crag woke up watching the wooden ceiling of some house. He felt no pain, which he expected, he had no simple bandage. He raised his head and leaned against the wall. Then, he saw other dragon. It was Chris.

"You're alive." The fire breather noticed with disappointment. "I hoped that you'll never wake up."

"Is Lisanna..." Crag asked silently.

"Yes, you've murdered her." Chris replied brutally with voice filled with hatred. "When I've come she had already... already..." The fire breather started stumbling. "Damn it! Why did you... You could have... Fuck you! You've murdered her, Crag!" Chris was shouting angrily. "If not that fucking skill of yours she'd... Fuck! Why was she such an idiot to..." Then, Crag stood up rapidly, caught the other dragon and pressed him to the wall.

"Offend her once more..." Crag threatened madly. "You've seen those wolves. You've seen whole our fight. And you did nothing. You wanted me dead, didn't you?" He started choking Chris. "You'd have her on your own, after all. And so, you did nothing." The earth dragon was mad.

"I didn't..." Chris tried to argue. Great mistake.

"Don't lie, I saw you staring at those wolves!" Crag shouted. "I'm not the one to be blamed for her death! You are! And now, how am I supposed to look into Idris's eyes and tell her..."

"Idris is dead." The fire breather interrupted. Crag dropped him and sat down on the ground. His eyes grew wide. He couldn't believe that. "I'm sorry." Chris whispered, as he handed him a piece of dragon egg's shell with blood covering it. "The archer... He crushed it with his arrow." He explained. The earth dragon grasped the shell, his fingers closed on it gently. "So, what now?"

"I'll kill those wolves." Crag decided.

"I'm coming with you." Chris declared.

"No." The earth dragon disagreed firmly. He watched the fire breather madly. "Because the very next person I kill after I'm done with them, is you." Then, Crag left the house. Before anyone paid him attention, he left his home village.

"So what happened next?" Ivory asked.

"Two weeks later, in northern forests, on the verge of wyvern kingdoms, I met Vixen. She changed me, stopped from my seek for vengeance. If not her, I would fall just like Douten did. And in my village..." Then Crag smiled slightly. "You see, after we sailed across the Great Lake, I've met my daughter." Ivory's eyes grew wide.

"So she lives?" The white dragoness asked with disbelief. Crag nodded.

"She's safe and sound. You must meet her. She's so... unique." The earth dragon said.

"How is that possible? Chris said..." Ivory couldn't understand that.

"Chris lied. The archer missed. And speaking of the egg shell... Idris hatched in the time when I was still unconscious." Crag explained.

"What is she like?"

"You've got to meet her. I won't even try to describe her, I'd just spoil your surprise." The earth dragon decided. "Chris wanted to get rid of Idris from the very beginning. Her presence, my and Lisanna's daughter… It was terrible suffering to him, even if I hadn't returned…" The earth dragon sighed deeply. "Thanks ancestors she forgave me all I did and treats me as father." The earth dragon explained with joyful hint in his voice.

"So, what are your plans once we're done here?" Ivory asked, somehow sadly. "Will you leave us?"

"No, no." Crag refused quickly. "We'll move in to Warfang. I'll need your help with raising her, she'll need not only father, but also some aunt." He smiled slightly.

"There's no problem." Ivory confirmed. "Your life has finally got some point, huh?" She guessed.

"True." Crag agreed.

"Just like mine when I heard that I was pregnant." The white dragoness smiled slightly, recalling that happening. "We'll be going back in just a week. This time... It passed quickly, didn't it?"

"It passes longer than expected when you wait." Crag nodded slightly. "I guess we should be packing our stuff already. Do you like Celeste Tribu?" He asked.

"Yes, I do. I didn't expect it to be so friendly to us, dragons. But, looks like there's need, there's way. Still, I'm terribly exhausted, I just want to go home."

"Sable talked with you about something serious, but I didn't hear him. You know, I preferred not to enclose to you." Crag watched her curiously.

"Yeah, prince Oscuro had left the tribe, which worried him. But Sable came to conclusion that Vixen, with her talent to eavesdrop, would hear of any Verdad's plan dangerous for us and she assured there was nothing like that." The ice dragoness explained. She was never really worried about that, she could hardly believe that wyverns would dare do harm to them.

"If Vixen says so..." Crag sighed deeply. As he heard of it, he already hated that vision. "Then I guess we have to trust her." He yawned, opening his jaws wide open. "We'd better come back to Celeste or the others will think that we were dating or something." He noticed and two dragons stood up.

"Like you and Vixen were in the eastern city?" Ivory noticed.

"Yes." The earth dragon confirmed, not really thinking about it. Then, he saw grin appearing at his friend's lips. "No, wait, I meant..."

"So, was it just date or something more?" She asked with amusement.

"It was nothing..." Crag tried to argue.

"You've just said it was something." Ivory noticed. She was having fun of the earth dragon and he perfectly realized that. He just sighed deeply.

"Whatever..." He blushed slightly. The ice dragoness laughed cheerfully, while watching her friend's embarrassment. She was so happy for this conversation to turn out like that.


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24. "Last victim"

Dante was wandering pointlessly for already an hour. He loved spending time like that, talking with passersby and studying the writings covering walls. Many tunnels were covered with some ancient writings, some of them Dante could read, those were most likely old poems. But there were also the others, unreadable for him or even the wyverns. The earth dragon had spent quite a long time trying to figure it out, though all his attempts and guesses appeared to be complete failures. But poet not really cared about that, he kept trying. And so, passing by dragon laying in the middle of floor, writing something quickly and asking all the coming wyverns to lean, so he could see all the descriptions was already usual in several places of wyvern nobility's district. Dante was sitting on the ground, swinging his black pen. He had beautiful black pen, covered in golden ornaments reminding some strange web, gift from his father. He was writing like that when some wyvern stopped next to him. Seeing no Dante's reaction at all, he coughed meaningfully. Again, dragon completely ignored him. If he knew Dante, he knew that he behaved like this always, he really didn't mean to insult him. But he didn't know him. And not really liked him.

"Dragon." The wyvern spoke to him. Finally, Dante noticed him.

"Not now, please. I'm busy with this." Poet replied, still writing.

"Look at me." Wyvern's voice was very demanding. Dante sighed deeply. He knew that he wouldn't get rid of him just like that. He jerked his head at him, but didn't stand up. He perfectly realized that this behavior was insulting against noble, as he recognized by his accent, by he was annoyed because of being interrupted.

"So?" No full sentence, no rhyme, only one word.

"You remember me, don't you?" The wyvern asked.

"I doubt, if we've ever met." Dante noted several words quickly. "Are you some battle vet?" He guessed.

"My name is Celo, the former medic, captain of wyvern army. We've met in time of that banquet a month ago." The wyvern explained with annoyed voice.

"Now I remember, you're right." The poet admitted, smiling. "I've won against you that fight." He recalled.

"I want a return match." Celo demanded. He sounded like he wouldn't stand refusal.

"What would be the point to play this game again? You can't revoke the loss, though it must be pain." Dante noticed.

"This wasn't a request." The wyvern noticed. He couldn't believe that almost twice younger than him kid dared to refuse to him.

"So you missed what I meant. This wasn't agreement." The earth dragon refused him, not really caring about manners. Celo didn't so why should he? Besides, those weren't negotiations, so he could behave less officially.

"Stop rhyming." The captain of wyvern army ordered.

"Or what will you do? Imprison me for a year or two?" Dante asked. He spoke it in such a way that he could laugh in face and the effect would be exactly this same. The earth dragon stood up, hid to his bag pen, notes and inkwell. He watched carefully into wyvern's eyes. Then, Celo snorted scornfully.

"Pathetic. You behave so lordly, so exalted. And who are you? Just some miserable poet, ordinary, terrible writer."

"Hey, hey, hey! What did you say?" Dante asked with disbelief and anger.

"This what you heard." Celo tried to provoke him. Dante realized that and decided to be the one who would provoke enemy to fight.

"Is that your opinion? Whatever." He shrugged. "Honestly, I've cared about it... never." He turned around and wanted to leave.

"You! Stop right now!"Celo shouted loudly. If there were any passersby, they would definitely watch this encounter curiously. Dante stopped and stood with his side to him, narrowing at him.

"Are your eyes still dry? I thought that you'd cry." The earth dragon noticed, smiling with amusement. He really wanted to challenge this wyvern since he insulted his poetry, but he didn't mean to attack first.

"That's it!" Celo shouted madly. "We fight right now! Not strategy game, but we fight with fists! And I swear, one rhyme more and I'll kill you!" Dante's plan definitely succeeded. Old captain wanted to fight him, so if any of them wounded each other, it would be only wyvern's fault.

"Come on, Celo, feel free to have a chance. But your blood at the walls will make such a mess." Dante made defensive pose, as he was speaking. Celo realized that he was not only called by title, but name, but also using rhyme Wyvern hissed angrily. Dante smiled slightly, but there was in his expression so provoking, so insolent...Pissing that wyvern off just a little more wouldn't change a thing already, would it? Celo wanted to attack. He was already jumping to Dante. Then, between two males, there appeared stream of fire, which stopped both of them. Dante and Celo watched each other, completely dumbstruck. Then, from behind the earth dragon, there appeared Tris. She stood next to her mate.

"What's going on?" She asked, watching her mate curiously.

"Nothing."Celo replied coldly. "I'll be going." He simply turned around and left, not saying anything more. Tris sent her mate asking mate.

"Let's go, shall we?" Dante suggested."This wyvern vexed me." He added, as they turned around and walked in the opposite direction. Two dragons were walking down the spiral rocky stairs, which were quite wide and had characteristic, ornamented with stone flowers railing .The couple was enclosing slowly to bottom of Core, since Tris was heading to little Core, to the other medics.

"So, what happened?" The fire breather asked curiously.

"Celo wanted a return game, as if that would bring him fame." Dante explained.

"And you refused?" Tris guessed. Her mate nodded slightly.

"Then, he insulted my art with all the might. And so I thought, no problem, let's fight." He finished.

"Then I've come and stopped you." Tris sighed deeply. "It's so easy to provoke you, someone insults your poetry and you'd be ready to fight even Malefor himself." She noticed.

"Well, sweaty, tell me about it!" Dante kissed her mate's cheek. "You and poetry, only wounds which pain me, as hit."

"And which hurts more?" Tris asked, already knowing the answer. Then, Dante kissed her passionately. Their kiss lasted for several seconds before their lips separated.

"Clear?" Dante asked.

"Clear." The fire breather confirmed. "I love you rhyming." She nuzzled her mate lovingly. "How are you doing it just like that?" She asked curiously.

"It's quite easy stuff. Definitely easier than math." Poet noticed and his mate giggled silently.

"True." When they left the other stairs, she felt dizzy. Tris stepped in strange way, as if she'd collapse. if not Dante, she'd indeed fall. She stopped and Dante watched her carefully.

"Are you alright?" He asked, not rhyming. He was worried about her, he knew that it didn't have to be an effect of pregnancy. Then, he glared deeply into her eyes and noticed something disturbing, something that medics would call conjunctivitis. Her eye was definitely congested. Dante couldn't believe he hadn't seen that earlier. "Tris, your eyes..." He started.

"No worries, it's just this torch light, it tires my eyes." Tris belittled it. Then, she pressed paw to her lips, as she coughed hardly. As she took her paw away, Dante watched with widely opened eyes drips of blood covering it. The fire breather muttered something, but then she fainted. Luckily Dante caught her. His heart rate spiked. Pink eye, fainting, coughing up blood... It was definitely that disease the medics were fighting. He cursed silently and opened Tris's medical bag, begging in mind that there would be any antidote. But there were only some herbs and bottles, no antidote.

"Medic!" Dante shouted loudly. Several wyverns watched him curiously, but none appeared to be medic. "Medic!" He repeated. Again, there was no reaction. Then, he turned to some wyvern passing by him.

"Hey, you! Stay with that dragoness and keep calling medics. If any comes, explain that she has Nooner's disease and she's about to die! Understood?!" Poet said in wyvern language. The wyvern, just a little older than him nodded and the earth dragon jumped into the air, bouncing from railing. He dove, thinking intensively. How much time Tris still had? Ten minutes? Fifteen?

"Medic! Medic!" Dante kept shouting, as he was flying lower and lower. He was flying like that for several minutes, but met no medic. Then, to his relief, before him there appeared Crag. Two earth dragons stopped in the air.

"What's going on?" Crag asked.

"Tris is dying! Nooner's disease! She's at thirtieth floor, south, you'll hear shout!" Dante explained tersely.

"Understood!" The medic rapidly started flying higher. "Find Ivory, or other medics, they're on the bottom of Core!" Crag ordered, as he was enclosing to Tris. He was flying the fastest he could. As Dante said, he soon heard some wyvern's calling for medic. Crag landed next to Tris.

"Step back." He pleased in wyvern language. In time spent in Celeste Tribu, he managed to learn its basics. Then, he took small bottle with water. He had no antidote, but he had ingredients to make it quickly. He took the bottle and gave it a wyvern standing next to him. "Boil it." He ordered, pointing at torch next to him The wyvern nodded slightly. Meanwhile he was keeping little bottle above fire, Crag chose herbs quickly with one paw. The other one was healing Tris's brain, the most endangered organ of all.

"The bottle." He asked before even half a minute passed. The wyvern handed it obediently to medic, who stopped casting spell. He put herbs inside the bottle and shook it, coloring the liquid intensive green. Then, he made long scratch at her left shoulder and poured the antidote there. It was experimental, but definitely the fastest way for cure to work. After doing that, Crag continued healing, trying to keep Tris alive until there would come any other medics.

Ivory sighed deeply and sat down hardly before Alivo. Old wyvern watched her with amusement. He brought them both two cups with hot sweet juice. The ice dragoness grasped it and drunk quickly. She felt that she was regaining strength.

"So, where are all the dragons?" Alivo asked curiously. "I heard that they've left."

"It's true." Ivory swallowed another sip and felt pleasant warmth in her belly. "Sable didn't even come today to the small Core, he and Viola left Celeste Tribu for several hours. Tris left us about an hour ago and Crag had just left." Ivory sighed deeply with relief. "Thanks ancestors we're almost done here." She sipped slowly her juice.

"It's tiring job, isn't it?" Old wyvern noticed and yawned deeply. At his desk, there were laying tens of important documents, which he still had to fill until next day. He didn't like thought of another sleepless night, but what could he do? Several energizing drinks and he'd make it somehow.

"Maybe I could help you with all those documents?" Ivory suggested. "You've been doing those whole day already and there still remained many of them."

"No, there's no need to. I'll do it, it's my duty after all." Alivo refused. "By the way, that fire dragoness Tris... She's in quite advanced pregnancy, isn't she?"

"Yes, almost four months already." Ivory confirmed. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no, it's just travel and stress may not have good influence on her. You know that immune system is getting a little messed up in time of pregnancy. Any slightest symptoms of disease and she should..."

"I know, I know. I talked about it with Dante." He controls her, if he notices anything disturbing, he'll inform us." Ivory explained. "Did you really have to ask dragons for help? I thought that wyverns knew the antidote to Nooner's disease."

"Well, we most likely had it." Alivo confirmed. Ivory watched him curiously, missing the point. "Haven't you heard of it?" The wyvern asked.

"Heard of what?" The ice dragoness asked curiously.

"There had been conflagration in our medical library. We've lost many books, there probably were the ones with description of Nooner's disease. Thinking of this now, I recall I've even read about it year, maybe two ago." Alivo explained.

"What was the reason of fire?" Ivory guessed that those was some torch, but you never could be sure.

"No one really knows. There appeared fire. Princess Leal who was inside in that moment tried even to extinguish it, but with no result." The wyvern said.

"What was Leal doing there?" The ice dragoness was really curious about Leal presence. What would princess be doing in medical library?

"Who knows?" Alivo shrugged. "I guess that she was reading about some disease. I remember that she would spend quite long time before the fire."

"I see..." Ivory started thinking intensively. It seemed to be so suspicious to her. Could Leal... Then, somebody opened the door loudly. Both medics watched curiously who came. It was Dante. He was breathing hardly. From his expression it could be easily read that something bad had happened.

"Tris. She's dying..." Dante was panting, trying to take the breath back. "Nooner's... Core."

"Where exactly?" Ivory asked, already running to exit.

"Look for Crag... northern side, one of higher levels." The poet explained.

"You go straight to Tris, I'll get several medics!" Alivo ordered. The ice dragoness nodded and disappeared quickly in corridor. "Esperanza!" The old medic shouted and his daughter walked inside quickly.

"How can I help?" She asked. She had been sitting at the corridor and doodling something so she could hear whole dialogue.

"Take care about Dante. I'm going." Alivo said and left several seconds later. Esperanza and Dante remained alone in the room. The poet was trembling, still not believing that it was really happening.

"Come on, sit down." The wyverness suggested and he listened to her, walking slowly to her. They sat down next to each other, leaning against the wall. Esperanza watched carefully Dante's shaking body. He was put in such a shock. He would never believe that something could happen to Tris and now, she could die. Ivory kept saying that every ill should be threatened before he would faint, because if not, chance of survival lowers to twenty percent. And every element weakening her immune system, like pregnancy, for example, lowers this chance even more. Dante felt his heart sinking lower and lower.

"You write poems, don't you? Could you recite me one?" She pleased.

"Screw the poems! Tris is dying and I'm sitting here and..." Dante argued angrily.

"And what will you do there?" The wyverness asked. "You need to calm down. Everything will be alright. They'll save Tris and you need to throw vision of her death out of your head. Now, will you tell me some poem?" She repeated request.

"You can't know that." Dante noticed.

"I know my father." Esperanza replied. Poet sighed deeply. There was no point in arguing anyway. He was completely helpless and bothering himself wouldn't help the case at all. And so, he started reciting.

Sable and Viola were wandering pointlessly and talking about some trivial subject when before them, there stood Cobro, the oldest of Verdad's sons, heir to the throne. He was wearing three swords perpendicularly to line of his spine, one of those was the one which used to belong to Sable before he was banished. At right side his face, there was long nasty vertical scar from his forehead to cheek after Sable's blow years earlier. If sword went a little deeper, the wyvern would have lost his eye.

"It's been a while, huh Cuarto?" He started. Sable hissed angrily. Despite dragons being in Celeste for so long, it was their first meeting for quite long time; the former Vengantimo had been avoiding him since their meeting at the banquet.

"I'm not Cuarto, Cobro." He noticed. The wyvern just grinned insolently.

"Good afternoon, Viola." Prince turned to the ice dragoness. "I can hardly believe that such talented negotiator chose as mate such a life loser as Cuarto."

"You know what Leal offered me in time of banquet?" Sable asked, grinning. Viola smiled slightly. Her mate would not only make perfect riposte, but bring Leal some trouble.

"No idea." Cobro replied honestly, not aware at all of what he would hear.

"She wanted to mate with me." The lightning dragon explained. Wyvern's eyes grew wide. "I guess that now, you're the moron, aren't you?" Sable noticed.

"She wouldn't..." Cobro tried to argue.

"Yes, she did." Viola confirmed. "Once you talk with her, tell her that I still want to kill her for that offer." She pleased. Cobro looked as if he would do it even earlier than the dragoness.

"I'll talk with her." Prince decided coldly. "Cuarto, you..."

"I'm not Cuarto." Sable interrupted him. "I'm not Vengantimo for years. I am a dragon."

"No, though you call yourself a dragon, maybe you even are him, you're still Vengantimo, your past left you this sign. What's the situation in small Core?" He asked curiously.

"We're almost done. You practically don't need our help anymore, but we'll stay here for week more, maybe a little longer." Sable explained.

"I see. You still want to kill me, don't you?" Cobro asked, provoking dragon.

"Yes, but I fight with this temptation." Sable agreed. "I'd love to kill you and your father, but I've come here not as wyvern, not as Vengantimo, but as a dragon, the medic from Warfang. And this is the only reason why I haven't killed you in this very moment." The lightning dragon said with threat hidden in his words.

"You wouldn't manage to kill me. You don't even have your sword." Cobro noticed. Then, Sable stepped quickly next to wyvern and took from his scabbard the blade which used to belong to him. Before prince reacted, cold steel touched his throat.

"You'd better reconsider those words." Sable noticed. Normally, he would already give blade back to prince already. But he didn't move sword at all. Something was stopping him from giving it back to Cobro. Viola watched him with worries, as she realized what was that. The prince did it as well.

"Killing me is tempting, isn't it?" He noticed. He had no idea what would Sable do, which was quite disturbing.

"True." Sable stepped away slowly and gave Cobro his sword. Viola sighed with relief stealthily. "We're going. Goodbye, Cobro." He and Viola bowed slightly.

"Goodbye." Cobro bowed as well, filling the manners. They could feel hatred, but they also respected each other.

"I saw this in your eyes, Sable." The ice dragoness said, as they walked away from Cobro. "For a second you really wanted to kill him. You weren't just playing, right?"

"Right." Sable agreed reluctantly. "When you lay the sword on throat of the one who caused death of your family, it's hard not to want to kill him." He shook his head, disappointed with his behavior. "Looks like I'm vindictive. In Venganza, I just lacked motivation."

"Don't even think like this!" Viola was indignant with those words. "You're just angry." She nuzzled him lovingly. "You've stopped yourself. That proves that you're not vindictive." Sable smiled her and kissed her.

"What would I do without you?" He asked. Their sights stopped as they glared deeply into each other's eyes. In their minds, there appeared question. Could they exist without each other? Of course not. Sable gave her love, Viola gave him new life. Through the tears and laugh, all their choices meant to bring happiness to the beloved. They were, as Dante would say, communion of souls, perfect, unrepeatable, inseparable connection of bodies and souls. In moments like those, they realized that nothing could stand between them, nothing could separate them.

"Mr. Sable! Mr. Sable!" The dragons watched curiously calling him wyvern. It was one of medics who with he worked, Harlen. "We need your help!"

"What's going on?" Sable asked.

"Tris is dying. Quickly, I'll explain you while flight!" The wyvern said. Both dragons nodded and followed him.

Several hours later, Dante was sitting on some desk oppositely to the door to the surgery room. All the medics somehow managed to keep Tris alive, but they weren't sure for how long, from what Dante eavesdropped, they had no idea, if dragonet was still alive. All wyverns believed that if disease had brought adult dragoness to such state, dragonet had to be dead for several days already. Then, he narrowed enclosing Viola. The ice dragoness sat next to him.

"Have you found Vixen?" Dante asked.

"No, she's not in apartment, I asked Luna, but I can't find her anywhere." The dragoness refused. "Once she hears news she'll come here, it's just matter of time." Viola watched him with worries. "How do you feel?"

"Terribly." Dante confessed. He didn't even bother himself with rhyming. "From what I heard from medics..."

"They don't know it for sure." The ice dragoness interrupted, so Dante wouldn't say any word, which would crush him even more. "Besides, they're skilled, if they kept her alive so long, it means that she can't die."

"Do you know it for sure or just lie?" The earth dragon asked.

"I believe so." Viola explained. She didn't want to lie him, only give him her faith in Sable and the others. Maybe she not really liked Tris, but she would never wish her death. Dante tried to say something. Then, door opened. Before them, there appeared Sable and Ivory. Both of them were smiling slightly, it was very good sign.

"How is she? Dante asked.

"Safe and sound." Ivory explained.

"And dragonet?" The poet watched her doubtfully.

"Safe and sound." The ice dragoness repeated herself, smiling slightly. "Come and see." She didn't have to repeat this. Dante ran in to his mate and kissed her.

"Tris..." He whispered with relief. The fire breather smiled.

"I'm fine." She said silently.

"You have no idea how scared I was." The earth dragon whispered. "I thought I've lost you both."

"I have to admit that it wasn't easy job. To the very last moment before her waking up, we didn't know, if she'd live." Ivory said. Then, Viola stood before the fire breather.

"I was scared about you." The ice dragoness admitted. The fire breather watched her curiously.

"That's something new." She noticed. Viola smiled slightly and nodded.

"Indeed." Then, Ivory started explaining what had happened. All the dragons have missed red colorations on Tris's skin because of her red scales. No one really thought of checking those and it brought Tris last stadium of disease. Then, medics explained what happened in time of healing. Ivory made real masterpiece, as Sable said, since she literary turned off one of kidneys to save it, while the other would take whole the damage dealt by disease. This action saved fire breather, but in effect she had lost right kidney. It really disturbed Dante, but the ice dragoness assured that it was possible to live with just one kidney, she even knew the dragon with one lung and one kidney. All dragons finally took their breaths back. It wasn't easy, but they managed to save Tris.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25. "About to leave"

Sable entered some noble apartment. He was going there all alone, to Viola's disappointment and worries. The ice dragoness was waiting nearby, she dropped in to some wyvern that used to know her mother. Her mate would take her with himself, if not that whoever invited him, he specified for that Sable had to be alone; he wanted to meet former Cuarto face to face.

"So, who are you?" Sable asked the person hiding in shadows. From darkness, there appeared a wyverness. She jumped to him and hugged him strongly even before he managed to react.

"Oh, Sable!" It was Leal. The lightning dragon quickly, but gently, released himself from her grasp and stepped away.

"Leal?" He asked with surprise.

"I know, it's late since you're leaving today, but I simply had to meet you, one time more. I missed you so much." The wyverness was watching him with almost devotional fascination. "So many years, so many things changed, but you… you returned." She was thanking him.

"I didn't do it for you. I didn't even consider you being alive." Sable sounded polite, but nothing more.

"But you're here. And so am I. Nothing else matters, Sable." She assured, smiling to him. Leal didn't have a proud pose of a powerful and influential princess; she looked really shy, like a young wyverness talking with a boy she secretly loved.

"It doesn't matter. Leal, just quit it. I love Viola and nothing will change it. You'll only bring yourself more suffering by this meeting. Goodbye." The lightning dragon said and turned to the door, intending to leave.

"It's not love. You're simply bound to her by shame." Leal disagreed. Sable stopped and watched her carefully.

"Excuse me?" He could hardly believe the words he had just heard.

"Your whole relationship was built on shame." Leal stepped forward to him. "You saved her because you were ashamed of having lost Sonrisa and didn't want anyone else to suffer. You decided to spend a night in dragon city because you'd feel shame if you let her down on such seemingly small thing." The wyverness stood right before him, looking deeply into her eyes. "Later, once you became mates, you kept sending her letters and trying to become a dragon, finally, after fall of Venganza, you decided to stay by her side, not to return your home for only one reason. Shame. You'd be ashamed of yourself, if you left Viola alone causing such a disgrace to her." And then, Leal put a paw on Sable's cheek and smiled beautifully. "You're so good-hearted that you've never thought of your personal needs, always cared about her, even if you never loved her. But…" She lowered her azure irises only for a second after which, they focused back on him. "Maybe it's the time to think of yourself a little? It's been fifteen years, Sable. Fifteen years in time of which you haven't done a thing for yourself, when you didn't try to find your happiness. Our happiness, for that we're meant to each other. I knew it from the first time I laid my eyes on you. And you know it as well, deeply in your heart." She was speaking with soft, gentle voice, beautifully melodious. Sable smiled slightly.

"Shame." Sable repeated slowly. "I feel it now." He grasped her paw gently with his and took it away from his cheek. "I shouldn't have come to Celeste. If I knew you were there, I wouldn't. I never meant to give you hope for that there could be anything between us. There can't. And I really regret that deeply in my heart, you don't believe a single word of mine." He laid her paw on wyverness's chest and his fingers slipped away from her gently. He knew she didn't believe him and no words could change it. "If you love me, then respect my wish. Forget about me, for that I never mean to return here. I have no feelings towards you and so, I wish we'd never meet again for that I could avoid hurting you with my very existence." Sable bowed deeply before her. "May it be my farewell to you, Leal."

"Farewell, Sable." She whispered smiling. "I know that you'll return. This is your home, Sable. The place where you belong." She said, really believing her words. "I can't wait to meet you again." The dragon turned around and headed to the exit in silence.

"I can't wait, my love." Leal's voice echoed through the hall. The lightning dragon met up with his mate soon. Viola asked him about the meeting and Sable told her everything. The ice dragoness wasn't angry, but to her surprise, it was a completely different feeling that overwhelmed her; pity.

Two dragonesses, Tris and Vixen, were sitting in their apartment, packing their stuff. There wasn't much of it, though. They were going to leave Celeste Tribu the very next day, so all dragons were in joyous mood. Black dragoness was laying on the floor and watching her friend's belly with sight, as if she was trying to understand something.

"So you've lost the kidney?" Vixen asked curiously. Tris sighed deeply, as she packed little notebook to her bag.

"For last week you've asked me about it thousands times. Yes, I've lost it." Tris confirmed with impatience. Vixen could behave very childishly sometimes.

"It's just I can't get it how's that even possible. You know, kidney is quite important, don't you need it to live?" The black dragoness asked, watching carefully scar at fire breather's belly.

"You do, but I still have one. It will make just enough." Tris confirmed. Vixen jerked her head, considering those words.

"I don't get it. If one kidney is enough why would we have two of them?" She noticed. "As for me, you need both of them to live." The black dragoness argued. The fire breather watched her carefully, having no idea how to explain it her.

"Sometimes you behave like kid. How am I supposed to explain it to you?" She asked rhetorically.

"Maybe show it using an example? You know, something analogical would be fine." Vixen suggested.

"Ok, stand up." Tris had some idea. Her friend stood up and then she put paw on her eyes. Vixen involuntarily pulled her head back quickly, as if she was scared. "Vixen, come on, I'll never show you, if you'll be moving." Tris noticed. She didn't realize what was real reason of black dragoness's behavior. The fire breather placed her paw on Vixen's eyes again. This time she didn't move, but her heart rate spiked, Tris could hear her little heart hammering madly, as if it tried to escape her little chest.

"When you don't have eyes, you can't see anything." Tris stated obvious fact. "But when you have one eye..." She moved her paw so Vixen could see with right eye. "You can already see. Not as well as with both eyes, but still, you can live normally with one eye. Do you understand?" Tris put paw on the ground and watched her carefully. "Are you scared of darkness?" She asked, even if she knew the answer.

"Yes." Vixen confirmed. "Since I lost my sight, I hate darkness." She explained. Tris was suspicious of that for quite long, she could notice how disturbed she was in dark rooms. And she knew that just blindness wouldn't cause such a fear of darkness in someone so strong mentally, as Vixen. There had to be something more behind it.

"You could have warned." The fire breather said with regret. "I wouldn't do that."

"No problem." Vixen smiled slightly. "I have to fight it, don't I?" She replied. Then, she giggled silently. "I at least understood what you've meant."

"At last." Tris agreed triumphantly. Then, she smiled with satisfaction. "Well, I guess I'm done with packing my stuff."

"There wasn't much of it, don't you think?" Vixen noticed.

"No, not really, but finding it all in this mess..." Both dragonesses watched several dozen books laying practically everywhere. The fire breather sighed deeply. "I'd better tidy this all up." Then, she turned at Vixen and watched her with begging with her eyes. "Will you help me?" Vixen just shrugged.

"Why not?" She stood up and two dragonesses started putting books at their places.

Cobro was sitting in room and thinking deeply. Then, he stood up and walked to stand with his swords. He took all three scabbards and wore those slowly on his back. Then, he drawn sword, which used to belong to Sable. He swung it quickly, enjoying melodious whistle of blade. It was his favorite. He hid his blade back to the scabbard. He jerked his head, hearing steps behind him.

"Leal? You're back." He asked. There could be heard note of anger.

"Hey, sweetie." The wyverness walked to her mate gracefully and kissed his cheek. "Why are you mad at me?" She asked.

"Don't you know? I've heard of your conversation with Sable on the first banquet. Your offer to him was quite interesting." He explained, angrily.

"That's not what you think!" Leal refused quickly. The prince watched her skeptically. He hoped it wasn't her best argument. "I would never mean to sleep with Sable. When he escaped, he left me behind, all on my own. I just wanted to ruin his and Viola's love, if he would mean to do it." She explained. Cobro still watched her doubtfully. Then, Leal kissed her mate passionately. "I love you Cobro. I would never betray you." She whispered silently, nuzzling him. She lied so perfectly. And he would always believe her.

"I know." Cobro agreed finally and hugged her strongly. He loved her from the bottom of his heart. How could he doubt in her?

"So, you are really doing to do this." The wyverness noticed sadly, changing the subject of conversation.

"It's my duty. I have to protect Celeste Tribu." Cobro explained.

"Just be careful. I don't know what I would do, if you died." Leal pleased.

"No worries. I'm not going to the war. Most likely the fight will be done before I even drawn my sword." The prince smiled slightly.

"How about Syrius?" Leal asked curiously.

"Oscuro has ordered Sombras to arrest him today. They will leave with him to the eastern city this afternoon, even before dragons' planned departure." Cobro explained. "If you want to say goodbye, you have an hour, maybe even less."

"But officially, alliance between dragons and wyverns wasn't assigned yet, right?" The wyverness watched her mate carefully.

"No it wasn't." The wyvern agreed. "It will be assigned this evening, right before dragons leave." He explained. "I'll be going already, my soldiers are waiting. Will you stay here?" Cobro asked curiously.

"I doubt that. I'll leave somewhere." Leal decided.

"Where?" Prince asked curiously. His mate just shrugged.

"No idea, actually. Maybe to library? I've been recommended some interesting tome of poems." The wyverness kissed her mate once more. "See you later, sweetie." She bided him goodbye and prince left his apartment. Her mate left only five minutes later, taking her blade.

Syrius coughed hardly, as he was sitting before his desk and writing something slowly. Those four weeks, since dragons had come changed his life completely. And definitely for bad. Verdad had lied him. He had promised that he wouldn't let him be taken to dragons and yet he had sold him with no second of doubts. Syrius coughed hardly again and saw drops of blood on his paw. He felt terrible pain in chest. He knew it was phthisis, but he not really cared about it, didn't even tell medic about it. He preferred to be killed by disease than executed in front of hundreds dragons, watching at him not as proud prince, but low murderer. Then, he heard knocking at the door.

"Come in." He pleased. The door opened. There entered two guard, wearing heavy armors, with black swords on their right sides and special gauntlets on the left paw, this same which Vengantimos would use. Those were elite soldiers, called Sombras, shadows. One of their missions was arresting and transporting nobles sentenced for serious crimes, like murder.

"Syrius, hijo del Joven, you're arrested for murdering Crystal, the ice dragoness." One of Sombras said. Old wyvern moped his paw stealthily to catch his sword, leaning against wall just half a meter from him. But both soldiers noticed that. In less than second, both of them shot warning shots of needles, just centimeters from prince's paw.

"Don't do this. We will take your sword." Sombra staying at left said. "Prince, just spare yourself shame and come with us." Both wyverns were matured and experienced. They narrowed slightly hearing some steps. To Syrius's apartment, there entered Leal. One of soldiers watched her curiously, the other kept watching prince.

"What brings you here, princesa Leal?" One of Sombras asked.

"Prince Syrius was exculpated of committing murder. He shall be released." Leal explained.

"Such order can be given only by principe Oscuro, who gave the order of arresting..." The wyverness caught hilt of her sword and drawn it, trying to slash Sombra by surprise. But wyvern was too fast, he stopped speaking in half sentence, took his sword as well and blocked her blow easily. Leal tried to stab his eye, but he jerked his head, the other guard already attacked her, still narrowing at Syrius. Leal jumped back and swung blade as if she meant to attack left guard from above, but she rapidly changed sword's direction slitting throat of right one with the very point of sword, right between plates of armor. Wyvern fell dead and the other attacked. He slashed with his blade vertically. But Leal didn't block the blow, she only pushed it away hitting black sword's side in the very last moment with paw and stung him with sword, piercing through his chest. Sombra dropped his weapon and fell on the ground, as Leal took her blade out from his body and started wiping blood out of it. Syrius watched her with disbelief.

"Those are Sombras! What have you..." He still couldn't believe she actually managed to kill both of them.

"You said that if you could choose again, you would help Sable when he was in danger, right?" Leal closed door to apartment and locked it, so no one could enter. "You have a chance to do it. Just sit down and listen." She pleased. The prince watched her carefully. He would love to kill her, but he realized that he simply had to listen to her. It was his only opportunity to redeem guilt towards Sable's mother. He sat down.

"Tell me." He pleased.

Sable and Viola walked inside their apartment. All dragons were already waiting for them in there. They all had impatience written all over their faces. The couple watched all five of them curiously.

"Are we late?" Sable asked with disbelief. Ivory watched him skeptically, wondering if wasn't it clear enough for him.

"Yes you are." The white dragoness confirmed. Sable scratched his neck with embarrassment, not really knowing how to start, so his mate helped him.

"Well, we asked you to wait for us here, because as you know, medics asked us for the very last favor. The last audience with Señor de la Tribu will be this evening, in eight hours. Medics asked us, if our team could help them with surgery of some noble, it's not very hard, as they assured. You'll know the details once you go to small Core." Viola explained.

"What kind of surgery and when?" Ivory asked.

"We're not really sure, Captain, but we know they expect us to come in less than hour. All their medics are still busy, so it would be the best, if we help." Sable explained. "So, what do you think, everyone?" He watched them curiously. Crag just shrugged.

"If we can help, then why not?" The earth dragon noticed, smiling slightly. "We're still stuck in here as for today, so I guess it makes no difference, unless you plan to do something else." He watched others curiously, but no one disagreed.

"So we're going." Tris confirmed their choice. "Will you go with us?" The fire breather asked three dragons who weren't medics.

"I'm going." Viola replied.

"Me as well." Vixen confirmed as well.

"I'll stay here and write poems." Dante decided. Tris knew that arguing would just ruin both of them good mood, so she didn't say a word. Six dragons simply flew in direction of small Core leaving Dante in apartment. Sable and Viola took their swords and daggers before they left, since they didn't know, if they would have time to return to apartment and they wanted to look the most representative they could.

"What's wrong?" Sable asked, as he and Viola stopped and asked other dragons not to wait. The corridor where they were standing was narrow and long, no one else was there to interrupt them.

"I feel a little awkward." Viola explained and her mate watched her with disbelief. "About those daggers, I mean." She showed paws, where she was wearing scabbards with beautiful daggers of Sable's mother.

"What do you mean?" Sable was still missing a point.

"I... I feel like those shouldn't belong to me. With tradition, it should belong to your sister." Viola explained, watching her daggers.

"Or to son's mate, depending on situation." Sable smiled, nuzzling her slightly. "That's fine."

"It's so weird." Viola took dagger with azure blade, exactly this same color as her scales. "I've never used blades in fight. I guess that now I'll have to learn, huh?" She asked, half-jokingly.

"If you wish so, I can learn you using those." Sable offered.

"That would be nice." Then, Viola sighed deeply. "I miss kids. I wonder how are they doing." She said with melancholy.

"Well, just two weeks more and we're home." The lightning dragon noticed.

"Two weeks. Those seem to be whole eternity, at this point, don't you think?" Viola said sadly.

"True." Sable simply couldn't disagree. "Let's go, the others are probably already waiting for us." The ice dragoness nodded slightly, confirming.

"You're lying." Syrius whispered, watching Leal with disbelief. "Verdad would never..."

"I'm not lying. They really mean to do it." The princess confirmed her own words.

"When will it happen?" Old wyvern asked.

"In three hours." Leal answered. Then, she stood up from floor. A second later, Syrius did exactly this same. "I'll be going, I have to go somewhere else as well. Goodbye, Syrius." Princess stood up and turned around gracefully, just about to leave. That was her mistake. She didn't even notice when Syrius caught her throat and pressed her to the wall, choking her. In his eyes, there appeared some terrifying sparkle, as he grinned devilishly.

"Don't treat me as your follower, neither as your puppet." He whispered angrily. "I've been waiting for this moment for so many years." Leal only squeaked silently in reply. Syrius's tail wrapped around black sword of one of Sombras and lifted it. The old prince took it in his paw and placed its point at her chest.

"Two Sombras were sent here to arrest me. You wanted to stop them and attacked them. You killed one of them and then you and the second one killed each other. I disappeared like a stone into thin air. How do you like this official version of happenings? That's what's going to be written in report even before the sunset, as I guess." The wyvern smiled slightly, enjoying the moment.

"Do you really want to repeat your mistake?" Leal asked silently. "The last time killing was matter of honor you've lost everything." She recalled the happenings from past, which Syrius wished only to forget. Something cracked in his heart. Then, he just dropped her. Leal fell on the ground and took deep breath. For a moment, she actually believed that he'd kill her. She thanked in mind that such an argument appeared in her mind in the very last moment.

"Get lost." Syrius ordered. Leal stood up slowly and enclosed to exit.

"Syrius, remember to set fire once you leave. That will cause a little more chaos. And chaos is our ally now." She pleased. After those words, the wyverness left hastily.

Three hours later

Viola and Vixen were sitting next to each other and conversing. About three meters from them, there was door to the surgery room where medics were healing some noble. The ice dragoness yawned deeply blinked several times. She was quite sleepy. Vixen laughed with amusement.

"What?" Viola asked curiously.

"What have you been doing whole night?" The black dragoness asked suspiciously.

"We went out the Celeste Tribu, Sable took me to some romantic place." Viola explained. Then she watched other dragoness carefully. "Are you envy about him?" She asked with note of disbelief.

"Yes, I am." Vixen confirmed. "Sometimes I think that your appearing messed everything up. I mean, if not you, after Venganza's final battle, I'd just leave with him and live together, almost as siblings. But then, I tell myself: hey, if not Viola, Sable would possibly kill Stella, it could even change the final result of that battle. And he's happy now, he has family and life he always wished to have." Vixen sighed deeply with sadness.

"The question is if you feel happy." Viola noticed. "You should settle down once we're back to Warfang." She suggested. "You know, find yourself home, job that you'd love, start family... I'm sure that Elena would love to have such skilled guard as you."

"Start family?" Vixen asked with disbelief. "And what dragon would love me? Primero's daughter? And even if someone didn't care about it, would he stand my childishness, would he love me not for similarity to Cynder, but character? Besides, I would make terrible mother. If I would ever become mother." In Vixen's eye, there appeared tear. "When I went through the mutation, Primero terribly messed up my hormonal system. That's why I'm so small. Can I even give a birth after this?" She asked, seriously doubting in that. Then, she started crying. Viola hugged her like little child.

"You can do it. I believe in you." She whispered words of encouragement. "You're definitely the dragoness and in the world, there definitely lives dragon who will love you." Viola poked her back. "So, now, smile like you always do. You can't give up before you even started, right?" The azure dragoness encouraged her. Vixen sighed sadly and wiped her tears out.

"I guess you're right." She admitted after several seconds. "It's just I feel so... so alone." She explained. "Everyone around me have mates, children and I... I have no one who I could call real family."

"You have us." Viola noticed. "Sable treats you as sister. We are your family." The ice dragoness said. "And mate... You'll find him one day. I know it. Once we all return, you'll find him." Then, black dragoness cuddled her. She felt so much better, she even forgot about Principe and status quo. Viola's words brought her unspeakable relief.

"Thank you." She whispered, smiling slightly. They were sitting like that in silence, enjoying their conversation in completely empty corridor for some time more when there came two wyverns. Those weren't civilians, but soldiers, which Vixen recognized without any problem. Their presence in such a place was sort of unusual.

"Good afternoon, ladies." One of soldiers greeted them, as they passed next to them. Dragonesses smiled slightly and bobbed their heads once. Vixen turned her head to Viola.

"So, how is it like to..." She didn't finish her question, as she saw Viola standing up right before her, covering her whole vision. She heard noise of slashed flesh and falling body on the ground. Then, she caught sight of another guard, who swung his paw. Viola fell on her back, at her chest there were three bloody lines, very deep, most likely lethal wounds. Vixen understood everything in just a second. Those guards... They meant to kill them from the very beginning. The status quo was broken.

"Sable!" Vixen shouted desperately. The guard tried to attack her, but she released powerful stream of wind, throwing him to the wall. She jumped quickly to him and slit his throat. Then, she saw other guards enclosing from the opposite side of corridor. Door right behind her opened rapidly and at the corridor appeared Sable, all three of his swords were on his back. His eyes grew wide in terrify, as he saw Viola with whole her chest red from blood. He crouched and started healing her.

"What's going on?!" He asked, completely dumbstruck.

"They want us dead!" Vixen explained right after she released wave of air, which knocked out all incoming wyverns. They appeared from nowhere; it was an ambush.

"Captain, Crag, Tris, come..." Sable wanted to call them, when he heard noise of falling stones and behind him, from the door there appeared cloud of dust and several stones, as ceiling in the surgery room fell down. The lightning dragon didn't really believe, it was happening. But it was. Sable cursed loudly. It was bad. Very bad.


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26. "Guide"

Meanwhile the dragons were attacked, princess Luna didn't even realize what was happening down there. She was dancing in her room. She had great apartment with one empty, big room, especially for her, so she could dance freely with no problem. It was made for her some time earlier after she had broken a priceless vase with her tail when dancing zealously.

"There are people talking everywhere I look,

No one saying what they mean..." She sung with careless voice as she spun quickly. She was grinning slightly, as moving across the room, imagining herself that great audience was watching her.

"Still they talk anyway, when there's nothing to say..." She sighed deeply and shook her head, as if with disappointment to such a behavior.

"There is so much said in empty words..." She jumped gracefully and spun once more, swinging her tail in beautiful way, smiling slightly.

"I've heard it all so many times,

I still try to believe..." The wyverness assured, singing with her melodious, high voice, as she enclosed to imagined audience. Then, she quickly stepped back and did something like shrug. But this movement was so smooth, so beautiful that calling it just a shrug would be terrible understatement.

"But you give it away

with the things you don't say..." In her voice, there could be heard resentful note.

"There is so much said in empty words..." She raised her head a little as singing the last notes of her favorite song. She somehow missed the old times. She was quite poor then, but still, she would sing every night before audience, which she loved so much. Then, the door opened and little, just three years old wyverness stepped in. It was Araceli, her daughter. Now, princess blamed herself in mind. How could she miss those old times before she fell in love with Oscuro and they had their little child?

"Araceli, aren't you sleeping?" The princess asked with surprise.

"No mom, I was listening to your singing."The hatchling explained. Luna giggled silently.

"Oh, come over here, little princess." She crouched and little wyverness started running to her mother, so eventually she jumped and was hugged strongly. "So what do you want to do now?" She asked curiously. Hatchling wanted to say something when suddenly, door opened widely. Luna watched with unhidden anger the general of her mate's army, Robin ,who didn't even bother himself with knocking.

"Princesa Luna, Señor de la Tribu Verdad and Prncipe Cobro have attacked the dragons just a moment ago. Their soldiers are moving right now to the small Core where..."

"I've got it!" Luna stood up quickly and ran after her sword. She took her sword and wore it on her back quickly. "General, take your soldiers, as many as you can in ten minutes and block the eastern side of medium levels of the Core, understood?!" She ordered.

"But then, we'll block..."

"That is an order!" Luna shouted, but still, her voice sounded melodious. "No one, even wyvern, even a soldier, can pass!" She ordered. The general nodded and left quickly, he knew that there was no point in arguing with princess. "Araceli, wait in bed, in several minutes there will come baby-sitter. I'll be back in several hours. Right?"

"Right." The youngster confirmed, nodding slightly.

"Good girl." Luna walked to her and kissed her cheek. "I'm going!" She ran to exit and was about to leave when her daughter called her once more.

"Where are you going, mom?" She asked curiously. The princess smiled slightly.

"Somebody has to save those troublesome dragons. And of course, it's going to be me." After those words, Luna ran outside her apartment, singing some song silently.

Dante was laying on the floor and writing his poem when he hissed silently with anger. He had serious problems with making any rhyme. All of those seemed to be cheap and trashy. He sighed deeply with annoyance and crumpled another sheet of paper, throwing it behind himself several seconds later. He heard characteristic noise of paper hitting against wooden door, the fate which it shared with already several dozens of other sheets of paper. It definitely wasn't good day for Dante. The earth dragon dipped his pen in inkwell and tried again.

"There doesn't exist..." Dante said aloud, what he was writing. "The love stronger than this..." He put his pen aside and sighed deeply. He had one rhyme. Maybe not really sophisticated, but still, that was something. Now he had consider another line carefully.

"When your own live you give..." He wrote quickly, as there appeared idea in his head. "To let the others live!" He ended, shouting cheerfully. Maybe it wasn't amazing poem, but that was pretty encouraging news after several hours of failures. Besides, it was good to enjoy little things. Finally, at Dante's lips, there appeared slight smile. Then, he heard some steps, as someone was sneaking behind him. His instinct sounded the alarm and he jumped away, just in time to avoid sting of some wyvern's blade. It wasn't royal family member's dagger, it had black blade, characteristic for soldiers. Wyvern who attacked Dante, stung with dagger again. Dante jumped on the side again and caught inkwell stealthily. He wanted to watch carefully the assassin, but there was no time for that. When wyvern meant to attack again, Dante poured his ink into his eyes and shot the earth bullet, but assassin appeared not to be newbie. He leaned right beneath both attacks without any problem.

"In books, it always worked." The poet noticed with disappointment. He'd love to consider the reasons of his failure, but if he started doing so, he wouldn't be able to finish it and the reason was quite simple. He would neither notice the wyvern trying to stab with knife, nor catch his both paws, stopping dagger only twenty, maybe thirty centimeters from his chest. The wyvern pushed dragon and Dante fell on his back, they started forcing. Dante, as much younger and not accustomed to fight, was weaker and started losing to him in just several seconds. The poet was cursing silently, as knife's blade was enclosing to his heart. His death was already matter of seconds when he heard noise of slashed bone and flesh and assassin stopped pushing blade, only to fall on the ground with great wound on his neck. He watched the wyverness standing behind him with disbelief, as she quickly hid her short sword to scabbard on her back.

"Princess Luna? What are you doing here? What's going on?" Dante asked with disbelief.

"You've got to get out of here. I'll explain you everything, now just come on." The princess explained.

"What about the others?" Poet watched her carefully, not understanding what was going on.

"They'll be fine. Come on." Luna said with such a voice that it was clear for him that they had to hurry. Dante packed his pen, inkwell and notebooks to bag quickly.

"Ok, we're going." Then, some idea appeared in his head. "But what about alliance treaty? It's in king's..." He wasn't allowed to finish his question.

"It's lost. You'll be lucky, if you make it alive, so don't care about it. And right now, those are just empty words written in there, especially when still not signed by the king." Luna explained. She took key and as the left, locked the door. "We'd better run." The dragon and wyverness sped up to, as princess explained, leave the Celeste Tribu using hidden passage. She cleverly avoided all the questions about the other dragons.

Tris was laying on the floor when she opened her eyes slowly. Several moments or maybe whole hours earlier, she felt terrible pain in her head, as some rock fell on her. Whole her vision was blurred. All that she could see was only blue light above her head. Was she dead already? That was the question, which appeared in her head.

"Tris, stand up!" The fire breather recognized Ivory's voice.

"She's stunned, I'll carry her." Crag decided. He took the dragoness on his back and watched carefully her forehead. It was all over covered in her blood, but the wound wasn't dangerous to her life.

"What's going on?" Tris asked silently.

"The roof collapsed, Ivory saved us with her magic." Crag explained and young dragoness looked above her with disbelief. Then she realized that this azure light was Ivory's magical hemisphere which stopped all the rocks from crushing them.

"Sable, are you there?!" Ivory shouted loudly hoping that he'd hear her.

"Thanks ancestors you're alive!" They could hear stifled shout of the lightning dragon. "Can you join us?!" He asked hopefully.

"No use, we can leave only with the side exit!" Crag replied. "Too many rocks!"

"Captain, listen to me carefully! I've explained you where's the secret passage before, right?!" Sable asked.

"Yes!" Ivory shouted back.

"Leave Celeste using it, but not appearing in Core, only side corridors! From there, go northern east!"

"Wait, Sable! Dragons live at the south!" The white dragoness refused.

"We're going to surprise them! South is too predictable! At the northern east, after two days of normal pace you'll find a river! Follow it! Near the field with willows, there's a waterfall! Behind it is a hidden cave! That's where we meet! Understood?!" He shouted.

"Understood!" Ivory confirmed. "What about Dante?!" She asked.

"Go after him the fastest you can, then leave apartments and go to the passage! " Sable explained.

"We're going!" The white dragoness shouted. Three dragons were about to leave, when they were called again.

"Wait!" Sable's voice reached them. "You all, promise me one thing! Don't you dare dying! I'm taking you out of here alive! All of you!" He shouted, promising.

"We will not die, no worries about that!" Crag confirmed. Then, he jerked his head at the Tris. "I'll carry you, we don't have much time." The young dragoness just nodded with agreement, still stunned. "Let's go!" Then, Ivory focused once more, creating the clear pathway to side exit. They've left it quickly and headed toward the apartments of nobility.

"Sable…" Viola whispered silently with weak, something like sleepy voice. As an ice dragoness, she knew the feeling of cold when she released the ice from her jaws. But the chill she felt at that very moment was different, so consuming; the cold of death.

"I'm here." The lightning dragon said, as he was healing her. "Hang on, I'll heal your critical wounds and we're getting out of here." Then, he opened a bottle with antidote to wyvern poison, thanking in mind that he had taken those. He poured those on her wounds, thanks to his warm, familiar magic, it worked even faster. "Are you better now?" He asked hopefully.

"A little." The azure dragoness confirmed and smiled slightly. "I'm just…" Her eyes closed. "Sleepy." She muttered. She knew she was dying. She just… couldn't really help it.

"Viola! Don't fall asleep!" Sable shouted. He grasped her paw.

"I'm tired, sweetheart." The dragoness whispered helplessly. "It hurts."

"Don't sleep." The medic forbid her. "Whatever happens, do not sleep." He begged. A lightning jumped between their paws waking her up. The dragoness opened her eyes suddenly because of pain of electricity

"I won't. I'll try, at least." She promised, still really weakly. "What's going on?"

"As if I knew." Sable replied."Keep counting from one to ten and back for that I knew you were conscious. Slowly, but all the time." He pleased.

"Sable, are we going?" Vixen asked impatiently. "I won't keep them away for much longer!" She warned.

"Yes, almost done here!" Sable was using both paws to heal Viola, so two streams of lightning were jumping madly between his paw and her wound, healing his mate's wounds quite fast. He was doing it for a minute or two longer before he decided that it would keep Viola alive. The azure dragoness kept counting. "Vixen, carry her!" The lightning dragon ordered. Young dragoness quickly jumped back to him and took Viola on her back. It was quite a burden for her little body, but she didn't complain. Sable took one of his swords, thanking in mind for idea of taking those, and stood with his back to the dragonesses.

"Sable..." Viola whispered. Her mate jerked his head and narrowed her.

"I told you to count." He noticed with warm, worried voice.

"Just don't kill them, if you don't have to. Those are just soldiers." Viola pleased. She knew that those were just pawns filling their orders. Sable bobbed his head once. He realized that as well.

"Fine." He agreed. But if any wyvern tried to slow him down for longer than a second, he'd kill him. Every second was priceless now. Sable grasped his sword with both paws. His eyes blown with lightning for a moment.

"Sable Del Relampago." Former Cuarto whispered. His katana started glowing with electricity, as lightning covered it. He didn't have to call its name to use it, but he used it very rarely so he wanted to make this something special. He took it in one paw and ran to the wyverns quickly, Vixen, with Viola on her back, was just behind him.

"Watch out! He's fencing skills are comparable to Principe Oscuro himself!" One of wyverns warned.

"You can run!" Sable suggested. None of wyverns moved. The dragon didn't give them any more time to consider offer, even though if they knew what power they were facing, they certainly would reconsider it.

Leto, general of Cobro's soldiers, cursed loudly, as he was walking through the crowd of several hundreds of his own soldiers, standing still in wide corridor, since something was blocking them. "What the fuck is going on here?!" He shouted once more, but again, heard no reply. Then, he finally made it before his soldiers. His eyes grew wide as he saw at least one hundred of soldiers of other division standing in their way.

"Out of my way! We have orders to move to the..." General started shouting.

"Don't listen to him! Stand still, do not let your guard down!" The other general who walked before his people ordered. Two wyverns watched carefully each other. Leto easily recognized other general.

"Robin!" He hissed angrily. "What in the ancestors' sake are you doing? My soldiers are going..."

"Nowhere." Oscuro's general finished. "This section is being separated so nothing would happen to citizens living in here, because of the riot at the lower levels." He explained with calm voice, smiling insolently. "Right now, no one can leave this section." He added. He could see Leto's face flushing intensively in anger.

"I have been given orders from Principe Cobro himself just yesterday!" Cobro's general shouted. He was really vexed.

"And my orders were given to me from Princesa Luna just an hour before." Robin replied, remaining calm. He knew that he had already won. "We have this same rank, our orders have this same grade, so decisive factor is time of giving order. And mine is more actual." He explained.

"Fuck you!" Leto shouted madly. He knew that he could stay there, since he had perfect excuse for that or break through Robin's forces, which would most likely end up killing dragons, but also falling in big troubles. And he cared about his life more than dragons' death. The general sighed deeply. "We stay here." He agreed reluctantly. The main forces of Cobro's division were paralyzed.

Sable slashed with sword, just scratching soldier's neck. Blow not deadly, but enough for lightning to electrocute him and leave behind unconscious. Sable's sword stopped glowing with electricity. He was saving energy, not because of its lack, but just in the case. Sable blocked with katana coming blow of next soldier and gave him powerful blow of fist right in his jaw, breaking it. Knocked out. Next. The other soldier swung sword, which stopped at Sable's katana. They started forcing. But Sable had no time for that. Lightning covered his sword once again, electrocuting wyvern and Sable slashed his throat not to waste any more time for him. The other ten wyverns he knocked out using Sable Del Relampago without any problem. After all, those wyverns had no weapon to fight at long distance and at the short distance he had an indisputable advantage. He thanked in mind Cobro and Verdad's faith that at the close distance he would be in disadvantage. They've finally dealt with that squad. Sable turned at dragonesses, as they were running some corridor, all alone.

"How are you?" The lightning dragon asked.

"Fine." Viola said weakly.

"Just don't sleep." Sable pleased, watching her with worries.

"I won't." The azure dragoness's words sounded so calming.

"Vixen, we'll leave through the main gate." The lightning dragon decided.

"What? That's very risky. There will be many guards." Vixen noticed, not really believing that he would plan such reckless thing.

"No, there won't. At this hour, sentinels of the main gate are from Verdad's division. I'm sure that he ordered all the soldiers to get us, which means he had to lower guards everywhere else..."

"...including the main gate." Vixen finished, grinning. "Besides, they would never expect us to be that insolent." She added, already understanding his idea.

"And this is the closest gate to us and time is decisive factor in our situation." Sable argued, sealing their decision. Then, he saw some wyvern appearing at the corridor. Sable's sword glowed with lightning, ready for fight, as he saw that the other wyvern, much higher than him, was wearing a sword as well.

"Sable, wait, it's me!" The wyvern shouted and then the dragon recognized him. Sable stopped, dumbstruck.

"Syrius? What are you doing here?" The lightning dragon asked with disbelief.

"I'll get you out of here." Old prince explained. "Come on."

"Aren't you supposed to..." Sable asked with disbelief. He could swear he heard Viola's heart rate spiking, but she didn't say a word, as she had promised.

"No time for this! We have to leave through the main gate before they figure out your plans!" Syrius said and started running. "I know several shortcuts so follow me!" Three dragons started running behind him.

"Do you believe him?" Vixen asked Sable silently, as she appeared on her side. Her voice was filled with disbelief. If she were Sable, she wouldn't trust him, no matter what.

"Yes." Sable confirmed. "Something in his eyes... I know that he won't betray us this time. He only wants to redeem his quilts." He explained.

"I will never forgive him what he did." Viola whispered. "He must be sentenced for what he's done."

"Neither will I forgive. Don't fear about that." Sable confirmed. He perfectly realized that Syrius didn't care about his life already. Verdad didn't need him so he'd die anyway. He didn't risk anything what he hadn't lost yet.


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27. "Friend or foe?"

Three dragons, Ivory, Crag and laying on his back Tris were running across the narrow corridors quickly. The fire breather still was knocked out by the stone which hit her head, so two remaining dragons couldn't count on her help in leading the safe tour to the secret passage. The knowledge of Celeste Tribu couldn't be called their advantage, but still, after about a month, they knew it quite well. Luck was definitely on their side, they still haven't met any wyvern and they were slowly enclosing to the noble apartments. Even red torchlight wasn't inconvenient since they had already partly got used to that. Ivory glanced at Tris.

"Will she be fine?" She asked.

"I hope so." Crag would shrug, if he wasn't carrying fire breather. "But it's possible she has some bone broken or serious concussion. That stone which hit her wasn't small one."

"True." Ivory confirmed. "How did they manage to make such a great ceiling fall?" She asked with disbelief. After all, there were no doubts that this happening wasn't just coincidence.

"Earth users are out of the question. Wyverns have no skills in that at all." Crag started considering.

"Brute, Sexto Vengantimo used to use bombs, those had this characteristic noise and smoke. Thinking of this now, I'm sure I've heard such a noise back then. That's only reason why I made that shield in time." Ivory explained.

"Explosives?" Crag glared at her with disbelief. "Are you sure they've used explosives?"

"Definitely." The white dragoness nodded, confirming her words.

"Dear ancestors, planting explosives to destroy ceiling of diameter of ten meters, made of thick and hard stone... They must have been preparing that for quite long already." Then, some thought appeared in his head. "If they've been planning killing us, why didn't they just slit our throats while we were sleeping?"

"Who knows, maybe they were scared, if wouldn't any of us wake up that night?" Ivory shrugged, not understanding that as well. "Anyway, they overdid it so we still have a chance to escape." The white dragoness smiled slightly. Despite their situation, she realized that they were very lucky. Then, she sighed deeply with worries, as she realized that their troubles had just began. "Let's hope Dante will be still there."

"What if he's not?" Crag asked. Neither of them had even thought of such a situation.

"As if I knew." Ivory replied, knowing that they wouldn't come up with any good idea before they wouldn't get to their apartment. "We'll figure something out once we're there. Why did they attack us?" The white dragoness still couldn't understand what and why was happening.

"I have no idea. I guess..." Some idea appeared in Crag's head, but he realized that it was absurd. "I don't know. Let's just get out of here, we'll worry about that later." The dragons stopped at the crossing. "Which way now?" Crag asked curiously. Ivory was thinking the answer for several seconds, trying to recall what Sable had told her about the secret exit.

"Left." She said. They turned left. And then, they saw a wyverness. Just one, but still, she was wearing sword. Dragons, as enclosing to her were preparing for fight.

"I'll take her down." Ivory whispered, as she started focusing magic. Crag nodded with understanding. It was much safer for her to attack from distance and besides, he was carrying Tris. When they were twenty meters from wyverness, she raised her paws, showing that she wouldn't attack.

"I'm with you, dragons!" She shouted. Three dragons stopped about five meters from her, watching her suspiciously. Then, Ivory recognized her.

"Leal." She noticed with disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get you out of here. You're going wrong way, the exit isn't where you're going." The princess said, still holding hands up. "Can I put my paws down?" She pleased.

"Ye..." Ivory wanted to agree.

"No!" Crag refused, all of sudden. "I don't trust you!" He watched her carefully. "Why would you like to help, huh? We have nothing to offer you. I can hardly believe that you're so good-hearted you come from nowhere and help, not expecting any prize."

"So you don't trust me..." Leal grinned, watching earth dragon carefully. Yes, he definitely had a reason not to trust her. "The passage which you plan to use is already under full control of soldiers, the trap is already set up. They perfectly realize that Sable knows that exit, they expect to catch him in there."

"We're not going straight there, we need to get to noble apartments." Crag said. "It's possible that Dante's still there."

"That suicide. Pointless suicide." Leal said. "Dante's not in apartments anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Ivory asked suspiciously. She didn't trust Leal as well, she perfectly realized that Crag's doubts are reasonable.

"Dragons have not only enemies, but also friends in here. Your poet is heading right now to the exit, I wouldn't be surprised, if he had already left Celeste Tribu. Now, are we going?" She asked impatiently. "You perfectly realize that every second is priceless." Two dragons looked at each other and bobbed their heads once simultaneously.

"Lead." Ivory agreed.

"But keep your paws far away from sword. If I see anything suspicious in your behavior, I won't consider twice if I should kill you." Crag warned her, deadly serious about his words. Leal nodded and started running, dragons were right behind her.

Leal was leading three dragons for already twenty minutes. By then, Tris had already regained consciousness and could finally run on her own, Ivory quickly and silently explained her their situation. The fire dragoness obviously was worried about her mate, but she decided to trust Leal since the others did this same. Then, wyverness stopped, several meters before the crossing. All three dragons stood behind her and they heard steps. Someone was coming in their direction. Leal looked meaningfully at Crag and her sword, asking for permission. Crag shook his head and pointed two dragonesses to look the princess carefully. The nodded slightly and watched Leal carefully. Meanwhile, Crag enclosed to corner as far as he could without being noticed by those who ran the other corridor. The steps were getting louder. From behind, there appeared some wyverness. Crag caught her throat and pushed her to the ground. Then, he noticed that she was wearing blade, which meant she was from royal family.

"Wait, she's on our side!" They heard familiar male voice. Then, from behind corner, there appeared Dante. "Luna's on our side!" He repeated. In that moment, Tris ran to her mate and hugged him strongly.

"Dante!" She kissed him cheerfully. Meanwhile, Crag recognized the princess and dropped her.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. Luna stood up and smiled slightly.

"No problem." Then, she turned at Leal. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously. Leal watched Dante and Luna with disbelief. What were those two doing there? She didn't expect to meet them, especially not together. After all, story about Dante was just bluff to discourage them to go to noble apartments...

"When I heard what was going on, I went to noble apartments to check, if wasn't any dragon there. I found Dante and I was leading him to exit when we fell at you." Luna asked. Then, she massaged her throat. "You have quite strong grasp, Crag." She said.

"Sorry, I thought it was some soldier..." He scratched his neck, grinning with embarrassment, not sure how to behave. "Anyway, what now?" He watched two princesses carefully.

"Luna, you can go back to your apartments, you'd be in trouble if someone saw you with us. Leal will lead us to exit." Ivory decided.

"But..." Luna wanted to disagree.

"No, she's right." Crag interrupted her only because time was priceless for them. "Leal will lead us out. She perfectly knows that if she leads us into trap, she'll pay for that with her life. And since you leaded Dante this far, we can trust you won't tell anyone about us."

"Fine, just be careful and good luck." Luna said. Then, she turned to Leal. "If you try telling the king about my support to dragons, just don't forget that I can say exactly this same about you. I know you'd love to get rid of me. But not this time." After those words she left the dragons, heading in direction of Core. Four dragons and wyverness, not wasting time, continued running. Leal was leading them with her paws up, since Crag still didn't trust her at all.

Through the side corridors, Syrius, Sable, Vixen and barely conscious Viola were just about to reach the main gate. They appeared right before it when they left some staircase. There were only four guards, two of them sleeping. It looked like the main forces were indeed focused on searching for them since thirty guards were minimum in normal situations. Knocking out all the guards went not exactly as planned because some civilian far away saw them and ran for reinforcements, which didn't put them in good situation.

Syrius and Sable started spinning great wheel, slowly opening giant stone gate. It weighted at least several tones, so despite even very complicated system of gearwheels, it wasn't easy job for only two of them.

"Maybe should I help?" Vixen suggested.

"No, you shouldn't move Viola from your back." Sable refused. Both males were panting hardly, as the gate was being lifted high enough for them to pass. Syrius blocked it and then, they heard some noise. The soldiers were enclosing.

"Your two go." Sable ordered Vixen and Viola. "I and Syrius'll damage the gate and I'll find another way out." The lightning dragon said.

"Sable, no!" Vixen disagreed firmly. The lightning dragon stood right before her and smiled slightly.

"No worries, I'll join you." He promised. Then, he kissed Viola's cheek. "Go." He pleased. Viola watched him sadly, but agreed silently. Vixen only hissed angrily. She carried her through the gate. Then, Sable felt someone caught him. He tried to release himself, but he was thrown away and fell right next to Vixen who watched him with surprise. Sable glared at Syrius with disbelief.

"What are you doing?" He asked, not understanding what did Syrius intend.

"You go. I'll keep them her as long as I can, buy you some time. You just go." The wyvern ordered. Viola's eyes grew wide, as she realized what he meant.

"No!" She shouted madly, even if she was so weak. "You're supposed to come back to dragon city and be judged, not die in a way as if you were hero!" She couldn't believe he really planned to do that. All three dragons watched him helplessly, knowing that they couldn't do anything about that. If they ran to him, he would just close the gate right before their faces. "Don't you dare dying like hero, you murderer! Do you hear me?!" In ice dragoness's eyes, there appeared tears, as she was shouting desperately. Syrius just smiled slightly. He slashed some chains, the gate fell down.

"Just go." Those were his last words they heard. All three dragons were glaring at the entrance to Celeste Tribu. They couldn't believe that Syrius was going to sacrifice himself for them.

"No..." Viola cursed silently, as she was crying. "The murderer of my mother, assassin dying as if he was some hero..." She couldn't stand that thought. "Syrius..." She hissed with hatred.

"No, he won't die like a hero." Sable disagreed. Two dragonesses watched him, not understanding what he meant. "He betrayed the king twice already. At first, my father, now king Verdad. Wyverns will remember him as traitor, if they decide not to erase him from their history. And for us..." Sable sighed deeply. "He didn't have to die. Appearing of soldiers was problematic, but just two of us would manage to break through to the another exit. Syrius only wants to run away from judgment, he wants to die in battle. For us, he's not only murderer, already sentenced, after all. He's also coward and definitely not a hero." Sable explained. "He helped us, but only to help himself."

"You're right." Viola raised her head slowly and kissed her mate's cheek. "Thank you." She whispered. For a moment, she thought that she owed Syrius her life. That thought would be unbearable for her.

"Let's go to that waterfall." Vixen suggested. Three dragons, not wasting any more time, turned around and flew away, as fast as they could.

Syrius damaged several gearwheels destroying gate's mechanism completely. He turned around and saw group of about one hundred soldiers. In front of them, there was standing Cobro with all three of his swords at his back, about twenty meters from him. He was watching his uncle madly.

"Syrius." He hissed angrily. "You're dead. I won't even take your sword to my collection, but I'll order to melt it in forge. I'll wipe out all the signs of your existence, traitor."

"You won't, Cobro." Old prince disagreed as he lifted his sword with both paws. "If I am to die, you're going with me." He grinned in sinister way. Cobro smiled as well.

"Dreams." He narrowed at his soldiers. "Stand back, he's mine." He didn't take out the sword, only straightened his arm and moved fingers, encouraging him to attack. "Come on, Syrius. Let's finish this quickly." Old prince started running to him. When he was in halfway, he saw Cobro straightening his arm and something azure appearing in his paw. He felt painful cold in his chest. After several seconds he felt warmth flowing on his underbelly. It was his blood. Syrius fell on the ground hardly, dropping sword. Before he fell, he could clearly see Cobro's ominous grin. Syrius jerked his head slowly to see his chest. Watching ice spikes pierced through his lungs, he couldn't understand how was that possible for young prince to use the element. Meanwhile, Cobro crouched before him.

"Was it worth not only dying, but also betraying your own kin?" He waited for several seconds, but heard no answer. Then, he spitted disdainfully at Syrius and took his uncle's sword to one of his soldiers. "Loy, give it to the forge, order to melt it and make sure that it's done." He stood up and turned around, not caring about Syrius anymore. "Let's go find another exit. Maybe we still can catch up with those dragons." All the soldiers followed prince, leaving the old wyvern behind, all alone. Before ten minutes passed, Syrius had already bled to death.

Leal was sitting before exit from Celeste Tribu known only to nobility when before her, there appeared some wyverns. Those were soldiers. The princess smiled seeing them. She easily recognized a wyvern leading them with his characteristic purple swords.

"There you are, Clavius." She smiled slightly. "So, how many soldiers you have?" She asked.

"One hundred sixty. Is that enough?" He watched her curiously.

"Just enough." Leal agreed. "The only problem is that I'm not sure which direction they went." She confessed, though reluctantly.

"What?" Clavius couldn't believe she said that. "Didn't they say anything about their direction?" "Crag mentioned Ivory that they would go straight south, in direction of dragon villages. But he didn't trust me at all, so it's very plausible that he just wanted to sell me invalid information." Leal explained.

"Then we have nothing. And our hunters are stuck because of that mess with Luna's orders." The prince sighed deeply. "Any ideas, Leal? You're much better in this stuff than me."

"Straight north and west are out of question. Our tribe has too much influence in there and dragons would only get farther from their home."

"They went southern east or south." Clavius came up with idea. "It's the best choice for them."

"And the most predictable. Sable would never make such obvious choice." Leal disagreed.

"Then where?" Prince asked skeptically.

"East or northern east. He plans to take roundabout way hoping that we won't follow him in those directions. Send half of your army in each of those directions." Leal suggested. Clavius nodded.

"Squad A goes with me at the northern east! Squad B, under command of Captain Celo, goes straight east!" He ordered. Then he turned at Leal. "Why didn't you just lead them in some trap in Celeste Tribu?"

"Crag was suspicious, he could kill me, if I tried anything. I preferred to take care of my safety at the first." The princess explained. "And you'll catch them all anyway."

"I see." Clavius turned around and both squads left Celeste Tribu.

Four dragons were flying low using roads through the forest, only rarely floating above trees, when the forest was simply too dense. They've been flying without pause for several hours already. The sun was setting, the forest shadows were getting bigger and darker every minute. Ivory jerked her head and looked at east. She could barely see the sun through trees. And then, after several hours of relatively peaceful flight, something started happening.

"Can you smell that?" Ivory asked, looking at everyone else.

"What?" Crag watched her with worries. Ivory closed eyes, trying to focus only on the scent in the air, though it wasn't easy because of weakness of that scent.

"Wyverns... For a moment, I could swear I felt them." She explained. Dante cursed silently hearing that. The dragons flew at a little field. Then, wind blew from their right. All dragons' eyes grew wide, as they realized that wyverns could be felt right next to them. Wyverns must have realized that as well because they attacked, not only from right, but from left as well. Ivory pushed them all away with powerful blow of magic and four dragons landed at the verge of the field, just a meter behind them, there was line of forest.

"This is bad." Dante noticed, as about fifty wyverns landed, surrounding them from all the sides of field. Escape wasn't solution anymore, especially not in night. Fight wasn't good solution either, but surrender was even worse one, so they had no choice. Four dragons made defensive poses.

"Tris, once this battle mess starts, sneak out to the forest and run the fastest you can. We'll tie down those wyverns, buy you time to escape." Dante said silently, not bothering himself with rhyming.

"No, I'll fight." The fire breather disagreed. "Sable trained me. I can fight." She assured them.

"No, you go." Ivory ordered. "In your state, you'll only stand in way. You can't change the result of this battle and if we lose, at least you'll save yourself." Tris sighed deeply. She knew that Ivory was right. She was not only pregnant, but also still concussed a little by that roof collapsing in Celeste Tribu.

"Fine." Tris agreed. Then, Clavius landed before his troops.

"I want one of them alive. The rest you can kill. But I swear, one of them has to remain alive!" He ordered. Then, wyverns ran and attacked, all at once. When they were just half a meter from them, Ivory created around dragons shield. In the mess that started, Tris sneaked out unnoticed without any trouble. Well, almost unnoticed.

Tris was running through dark forest the fastest she could. She kept looking behind herself to make sure that she was running straight. The fire dragoness was already tired, but she kept running. She had to run as long she could, forest was simply too dense to fly and appearing above line of trees wasn't good idea. Then, she heard some noise. It was giggle. She stopped and looked around.

"Where are you running, little girl?" Some wyvern said. He was using dragon language, which meant he was most likely a noble. Tris looked around fearfully above her, searching for speaker, but it was too dark, she couldn't see anything.

"She can't even see us." Other wyvern noticed with amusement.

"Maybe we shall kill her before she even realizes where are we?" The third wyvern asked.

"Oh, come on... Three soldiers against one young dragoness, a female?" The first voice asked with disbelief. "We already have too much of head start." After those words, Tris heard three wyverns landing before her. She could barely see their dark figures in weak moonlight. The fire breather felt her heart hammering. Her limbs were shaking fearfully. She was giving her best to control body, but she couldn't do a thing.

"Can we kill her?" The third wyvern asked.

"Yes, the others will catch dragons alive. We don't need her." The first wyvern, their leader, as Tris guessed, decided. Young dragoness really wished she could at least set a fire, but she knew that smoke and intensive light would only alarm more wyverns. She was thinking intensively, trying to recall what Sable had told her in time of training. "If you can't win, run." But she couldn't run. In shadows, they had advantage. "If you can't run, then fight." They would just slaughter her, since she couldn't use fire. Or maybe? Not using fire meant death, using it only troubles. Deadly, but still, only troubles. She hadn't big choice.

"Look, how she's shaking. She can't even move." One of wyverns, Tris guessed it was the second one, noticed. Then, that wyvern stepped to her and stood face to face. The dragoness jumped back, or at least meant to. She didn't even twitch. She couldn't move, paralyzed by fear. Wyvern touched her cheek with finger.

"Move!" Tris screamed in her mind, but body didn't react. "Move, move, move!" That was useless, fear had completely overwhelmed her. All she could do was shaking. Wyvern scratched her cheek and watched her blood covering his talon with amusement.

"I could slit her throat just like that, what do you think of that?" The soldier asked.

"If you want so..." Their leader agreed. Tris felt stabbing touch of four of his talons against her neck. She was begging her body to move, but it refused again. She closed her eyes in helplessness.

"Watch out!" The leader of wyverns shouted. Young medic involuntarily closed eyes. Then, Tris felt someone's presence slipping next to her and heard nasty noise of slashed flesh and bones, as wyvern dropped her neck. She opened her eyes slowly to see the one who meant to kill her was laying in the puddle of his own blood. All that remained from his chest were just shreds, the wyvern was already dead.

"What the fuck had just happened?!" Leader of the group asked with disbelief. "Show yourself! Who are you?!" He shouted, desperately looking around. He had barely noticed the attacker, he saw only silver flash. The wyvern cursed silently. Then, they heard a voice.

"My name is Viento de la Muerto." Old male voice introduced himself.

"V...Viento de la M...M...Muert...t...to?" The other wyvern asked with disbelief, stumbling. "What brings you here?" Then, Tris managed to smile.

"Not only my limbs are shaking, huh?" She noticed insolently.

"Shut up!" Soldier shouted madly, terrified by sudden appearing of that newcomer.

"I'm here to watch your fight." Viento de la Muerto explained. "Not often dragon and wyvern fight to death. But I want it to be a fight, not execution. I can't wait to take several of your souls on the other side."

"So if I just kill that dragon, will you let us go?" Soldier asked.

"Yes." The voice confirmed. He didn't have to repeat himself. The wyvern ran to Tris and swung his paw. But something changed in Tris. Appearing of Viento de la Muerto brought her this small sparkle of hope she had lacked. She realized that she had too many things to do, too many years to live to die in some forgotten by ancestors dark forest. Wyvern slashed with talons. Tris jumped at the side at the very last moment, slashing his throat, exactly as Sable had been teaching her for last several years. Corpse of wyvern fell hardly on the ground two or three meters behind her. Leader of wyverns, the only one alive, attacked as well. Tris released stream of fire, which covered him and burnt to death in just several seconds. Then, she felt terrible pain in underbelly, as fourth wyvern who appeared from nowhere slashed it. Was there fourth wyvern? Tris didn't even notice him. Before she managed to do anything, there came only dull pain of head and she lost consciousness.

Crag cursed silently. Ivory and Dante were laying behind him, knocked out. Whole his body was covered in shallow flesh wounds, he was panting hardly. The three dragons had killed at least thirty of those wyverns, it was already middle of night, which was terrible disadvantage for Crag. He was surrounded, the wyverns were waiting for him to make move. The earth dragon cursed silently. From the very beginning, they couldn't win that fight. Outnumbered, Ivory with practically no magic, caught in ambush, forced to fight in complete darkness... They could fight, they could kill many wyverns, but they couldn't win.

"Just surrender, dragon. You've lost." Prince Clavius demanded.

"Why should I?" Crag watched him skeptically.

"Because I'll spare your life then." The wyvern offered.

"Is my surrender worth just one life? If that was the truth, there wouldn't be thirty corpses around, don't you think?" The earth dragon asked with disbelief, as if he could negotiate terms of surrender. "You want to force me to tell you where's Sable hiding. Most likely with tortures, right?" Crag asked.

"Yes." Clavius agreed. That was mistake.

"It's much easier when you have two dragons to torture. Especially, if one of them has crush on the other." The earth dragon watched meaningfully Ivory, smiling slightly. "Nothing can convince male as well as watching his beloved suffering. I have an offer for you."

"Really?" Clavius estimated Crag carefully. He realized that he met someone much cleverer than him so he had to be careful about his offer. He guessed that he'd be most likely outsmarted. But still, idea of torturing two dragons... "I'm listening." Crag grinned already knowing that he couldn't lose this argument.

Idris woke up screaming. What was this feeling? Blood, so much blood… But this sight was gone, just a nightmare… Little white dragoness sighed deeply and shook her head in order to get rid of those unpleasant thoughts. She rolled down the bed and headed to the stairs. Despite darkness, hatchling walked down those very quickly. She entered the kitchen. There, there was a small cupboard hanging on the wall high beyond her reach. Idris sighed and looked around. She stood on small chest and aimed for kitchen table. She meant to jump, when she stopped. Oh-oh, presentiment. She couldn't know that if she jumped, she'd miss, hang on the wardrobe next to the table and turn it over on herself. But she felt it was better not to jump. Instead of it, she climbed up on the chair and from there, got on the table. She found the cupboard with medicines. It was there since ever, she remembered that her grandpa kept doing her compresses to stop her bleeding from lungs. No one really knew why, but when she was one, the bleedings started getting rarer until they completely stopped. But the cupboard with medicines remained. Idris opened it. There was one, very good medicine, even though it wasn't supposed to be drunk. Sweat and tasty and her belly felt so pleasantly warm after pouring it into her throat. Everyone kept telling her not to drink it, it was… poisonous, or something… But Idris always knew how much of it to drink. The white dragoness took hidden bottle without any trouble. She drank some of it and put it back. Satisfied, she jumped from the table on chest, then on the floor and she headed upstairs to her room. She smiled feeling warmth in her belly. Idris entered her room. She entered her bed and fell asleep, when she woke up again. This view… Small field hidden in darkness lit only by moonlight. Screams of agony. Death. So many dead bodies. Green scales being covered in the blood of dozens of wounds. Death… In Idris's eyes, there appeared a tear. Rationally, she didn't know. She couldn't know. But she felt it.

"Dad." She whispered fearfully. "Please, come back to me."


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28. "Tears at the dawn"

Sable and Vixen found some cave and hid in there about the midnight. Neither of them liked idea of stopping this early, but Viola's state was getting worse and worse with every minute passing, she had lost consciousness several hours earlier. They didn't notice the slightest sign of wyverns' presence, so their choice was obvious, even if still risky. Two dragons laid her on the ground gently, Sable set up small fire to light the cave up, even if just a little. Then, he focused on healing his mate. The black dragoness left to find some wood to keep the fire flaming. She returned about half an hour later, put the dry branches to the bonfire and sat at the side, watching the couple. That was all she could do. They remained in such a silence for next hour, maybe even more.

"Sable..." Vixen interrupted the silence.

"Yes?" The lightning dragon asked curiously, not even narrowing at her. He was too absorbed with healing his mate.

"I'm sorry. I should have... It's all..." She hung her head sadly and meant to apologize.

"Let's just get out of here. Then we'll find out what and why happened." Sable interrupted her.

"Yes." The black dragoness agreed and sighed stealthily with relief. She meant to confess Sable something he wouldn't like and some part of her heart was happy that he delayed it. Who knows, maybe he would even forget about it? Vixen was thinking like that when she felt some disturbing smell. It was wyvern. "Sable, someone's here." She warned.

"It's just me." The wyvern who appeared at entrance to cave said. Dragons easily recognized his voice. It was Oscuro. "What happened? What are you doing here?" He asked curiously when he stepped in. "Can I come in?" He asked.

"Yes, sit down." Sable said, not interrupting healing his mate. He trusted Oscuro. "Verdad and Cobro's soldiers attacked us. We escaped." He explained.

"Father..." The wyvern sighed deeply. "I didn't expect he'd actually dare attacking you."

"What are you doing here, Oscuro?" Vixen watched him curiously.

"I'm returning from Esteralldo Tribu where I was sent as envoy to deal with some problems. I could expect they would do something like that using my absence." Prince sighed deeply. "Where are the others?"

"We had to separate. It's long story." Sable said tersely.

"What do you plan?" Oscuro asked, not even expecting the answer.

"Just to get out of here." The lightning dragon didn't even consider his answer. "We need to meet with Captain and others and return to Warfang." Then, he watched carefully Oscuro. "Can I trust you now?" He asked skeptically, starting to doubt.

"In the sake of old friendship, yes." The prince agreed. "I promise for the sake of my mother's grave that I will not help Verdad neither Cobro get you." Oscuro promised. Sable perfectly knew that wyvern would keep it.

"Thank you." The dragon whispered. Then, prince stood up.

"Well, I guess I'll be going. Good luck, dragons." Two dragons bided him goodbye and he was already leaving when prince turned around and smiled. "Once they'll be already torturing me for betrayal of my kin, I'll keep repeating them that you went straight south." He said half-jokingly. Seeing that neither of dragons was in mood for jokes, he just nodded with understanding and left.

"You trust him." Vixen didn't ask, but stated, not without surprise.

"Yes. He's probably the only wyvern I really trust." Sable confirmed not interrupting healing his mate for even a second. "You'd better sleep." He suggested.

"I don't need to." The black dragoness disagreed.

"I won't sleep this night and we need at least one rested dragon." Sable argued. The young dragoness sighed deeply and laid on the ground reluctantly. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't at all.

"How is Viola?" Vixen asked and then, she saw at his cheek a tear.

"I can only keep her alive as long as I have any energy left, but not heal. I've wasted too much magic in last weeks to have enough strength to save her." He was crushed. His voice was trembling, his arms were shaking, he couldn't stop tears.

"Sable…" The black dragoness whispered with worries.

"I'm a horrible medic. Unable to even save my own mate." He whispered hopelessly. "If I had Ivory's power, I could easily save her. Or…"

"Don't say that! You're strong! You're the strongest person I've ever met! I know you are! Don't give up now!" Vixen begged him. "There's still hope for her, right? We'll meet with Ivory, she, Crag and Tris will heal her and we'll all escape Celeste." She assured.

"I should have known, Vixen, but I was blind to Verdad's deception. My recklessness put us all in deadly danger and I don't even know if I'll manage…"

"You couldn't know." The black dragoness interrupted him. "No one could predict it. Now, all that remains, is to do everything we only can for that none of our friends would die. Sable, promise me that you'll not give up. Whatever happens, you'll not give up, but do everything to protect your companions. For that you are the light in the darkness." Vixen pleased. "Will you fight for it to shine?" Sable just smiled slightly.

"I will. Go sleep now, it's late already." The lightning dragon pleased. The black dragoness nodded obediently and lied down.

"Goodnight, Sable." She whispered. "Keep hope deeply in your heart. It's our greatest ally."

"Goodnight, Vixen." The lightning dragon said silently. He was healing his mate for whole night. He didn't even notice when the dawn came.

The first thing Ivory felt was that she was hanging with her head twenty or thirty centimeters above ground at something in shape of spit for roasting meat. She was all tied up, which made her feel very uncomfortable. She looked around. She was in some kind of camp, but only two wyverns were in there, sitting on the ground about twenty meters from her and roasting some meat. She watched the sky. It was already sunrise, which meant she had been knocked out for whole night. She didn't fully realize what was going on, the last thing she remembered was their fight against wyverns.

"You're awake." She heard male voice. Ivory jerked her head and saw the earth dragon behind her.

"Dante? What's going on? Where's Crag?" She started asking. From all three dragons she was first one to lose consciousness so she hoped the poet would know anything more.

"We're in captivity." The earth dragon started with the obvious part. "After they hit your head and you fell on the ground... I could swear that blow was a deadly one. Crag thought this same way and he went mad. No, berserk. You should have seen him, fighting with absolutely no mercy, controlled by primeval instinct..." Dante sighed deeply. "I guess that's what poets call Demon of Wrath. He slaughtered not one or two wyverns in his anger, but tens of them. Soon, they knocked me out as well. I could see and hear what was going on, but laying on the ground, unable to stand up..." He interrupted when two wyverns stopped talking and turned at them. After several seconds, soldiers started ignoring them again and came back to their conversation.

"What happened then?" Ivory asked silently.

"He was surrounded, so wyverns offered him to give up, so he'd save at least himself. And then Crag mentioned something that Clavius would never get information from just him, but if he tortured you and forced dragon who loved you to watch that..." Ivory glared at him with disbelief.

"He meant himself?" She couldn't believe that.

"I thought so as well. Did you and Crag..." Dante watched her suspiciously.

"No." Ivory refused, quickly and honestly. "Go on." She pleased.

"Crag meant me. It's not truth, of course, he bluffed." Poet added quickly. "He lied those wyverns with such easiness. I've never seen such good liar. He quickly understood that he couldn't save all three of us, so he bought life only to us."

"You mean..." Ivory's eyes grew wide, as she realized what he meant. Dante just hung his head sadly. "Crag is..."

"When we were leaving, he was still alive. But they broke his wings and wounded him seriously. Clavius said that he would bleed to death in nine, maybe ten hours."

"How much time passed from then?" Ivory asked.

"Eight hours, I would say." Dante explained. Luckily, he hadn't lost track of time. In Ivory's mind already appeared plan. It was hard, but possible. There were only two guards, they would escape, get to Crag, heal him, meet with Sable and...

"That's impossible." Dante interrupted her thinking. We're stuck here with no chance to release ourselves, you have practically no magic left and just bandages won't be enough for Crag's wounds." Dante quickly enumerated all the arguments. The white dragoness knew he was right. Just one would be enough, not speaking of all of them... The poet noticed a tear appearing in Ivory's eye. It slowly flown down her cheek and fell on the ground.

"I'm sorry." Dante whispered. He should have lied to her, tell that Crag was already dead or...

"Can you release yourself?" Ivory asked with determined voice. The poet watched her with disbelief, but didn't answer. "Can you?" The dragoness repeated. She didn't mean to give up. Not as long there was even the slightest chance that Crag was alive.

"No, I tried. If I touched earth with paw, I could release myself. What about your magic?" Ivory's will poured hope into Dante's heart. He wasn't going to just sit and wait.

"No chance. I'm completely out of it and here, I feel no magical aura at all. I guess they've chosen this place on purpose." She said. Then, some idea appeared in her mind. "Let's swing." She suggested. "If we're lucky, we'll turn this over and release ourselves. Then, we take those guards down and run to Crag." She explained. Dante smiled slightly.

"This may even work. All the guards have left about hour ago for hunting, so they'll be gone for several hours more." He explained. Then, dragons started swinging, trying to release themselves. Their attempts, which took them about half an hour gave them nothing, this spit-like thing couldn't collapse whatever they tried. In fact, that was miracle that for whole half an hour the soldiers were turned with their back and, just twenty meters from them, they heard nothing or at least ignored it all. Ivory cursed silently. Wyverns did quite reliable job setting this thing.

"Any other ideas?" Dante asked hopefully.

"Let's provoke them to come to us. I'll catch throat of one of them with jaws." The white dragonesses decided.

"And what next?" The poet watched her curiously.

"We'll see, if we're lucky." She said. Dante gave her skeptical sight. "What? Can we lose anything? In Celeste Tribu, they'll most likely torture and kill us anyway." She argued. Dante wanted to say something, but he just shrugged. She was right, after all.

"Hey, morons! I'm thirsty! Bring me some water!" The poet called wyvern with demanding voice. Both soldiers turned around and watched him with disbelief.

"What?" One of them asked angrily.

"Are you deaf or dull? I need water! Don't make me wait!" Dante kept provoking them, even if he didn't even believe that they' d manage to achieve anything by that strategy. Not counting great pain, of course. He could hear wyvern's hateful hiss.

"I swear, I'll kill him!" The wyvern started walking to them, seriously vexed by those overweening dragons.

"Remember that we need them alive." His companion warned.

"Then I'll just break his wings. And legs. He won't need them anymore." The soldier decided. Then, dragons saw powerful stream of lightning appearing from between trees and killing the second wyvern. The soldier turned around, dumbstruck, and watched with disbelief his dead friend.

"Sable?" Ivory whispered with relief.

"Who else?" Dante asked rhetorically. Both dragons watched carefully what wyvern would do. He was looking carefully around, ready to jump back if another lightning attacked. He perfectly realized he was only on his own. Then, from forest there jumped to him a yellow dragon. It wasn't Sable, newcomer wasn't bipedal and besides, he was much smaller than Sable. He slashed aiming at wyvern's chest, but soldier blocked himself and knocked him out with powerful blow in jaw. He was about to kill mysterious dragon, but newcomer threw dust in his eyes, raised rapidly and slashed his throat. Maybe it was unfair trick, but he obviously was kind of dragon who valued life more than honor.

"Hey, over here!" Dante called him. The lightning dragon turned his head at them. When their sights met, poet realized his mistake. It wasn't a dragon, but dragoness. Really beautiful one as Dante would say, if he was asked about an opinion. She was tall as for her young age, since poet guessed that she was his equal. Her yellow scales of torso and silver ones at the belly shined beautifully in the sunlight. She had blue eyes and two thin, black horns. Her tailblade was short and simple, it looked like a dagger. The dragoness ran to them and released them quickly.

"Dragons?" She asked with disbelief right after she slashed the rope. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you about exactly this same." Ivory watched her carefully.

"I live here, in this forest. I'm Farady, the free dragoness." Their savior introduced herself. Free. Dante recalled that was the way feral dragons often described themselves.

"Ivory, the city dragoness." The medic presented herself.

"Dante, the dragon of earth. You definitely saved us from death." The poet introduced himself in other way, not wanting to emphasize the difference between them. Farady's eyes stopped at him for a longer moment. He, as a young, idealistic poet, couldn't realize that the way Farady was watching him wasn't just curiosity, but fascination. The lightning dragoness felt her heart hammering and blushed slightly. Ivory saw it even too clearly. She sighed deeply.

"Let's go." She suggested.

"I'll lead you to my house." Farady said.

"No, wait, our friend was wounded by wyverns yesterday and left behind, he's in this forest, not very far away." Ivory refused quickly.

"Yesterday? He must be dead by now." The lightning dragoness stated.

"No! He lives!" The medic shouted, as tear appeared in her eye, but Farady only watched her coldly.

"Farady, let's go there. There passed only eight hours and they said that he'd die in ten. There's still a chance. Ivory's medic, she can heal him. And wyverns will return here from hunting not earlier than in several hours." Dante argued. The feral dragoness just sighed deeply, since she didn't like that idea.

"Several hours? It's a rare privilege. Fine, let's go." She agreed after several seconds of doubts.

The flight took dragons less than even an hour. For whole that time, Ivory remained silent, uselessly trying to focus and absorb some magic from the nature, but it appeared that there was none. Meanwhile, Dante explained Farady what brought them there and what was their current situation. When he told that he had Tris, his pregnant mate, Farady could feel her heart sinking lower and lower, but she perfectly hid those feelings. The poet was in much better mood, which could be recognized by fact that Dante told whole the story rhyming all the time, which only bewitched the dragoness even more. Their relatively positive mood rapidly changed when they found the field from the previous night.

All three of them landed on the ground. There, they say laying earth dragon. They ran to him quickly.

"Crag! Crag!" Ivory's heart rate spiked as she begged in her mind that he'd be still alive. She stood before him and watched him carefully, two other dragons stopped about five meters earlier, watching them in tension. Both Crag's eyes were closed. Whole his body was covered in wounds, many of them were flesh wounds, but there were also more dangerous ones, which had been already healed. But not all of them and others were dealt with very clumsily. It looked like Crag had been healing himself in the night.

"Crag..." Ivory whispered, unsure, if he was alive. Then, one of earth dragon's eyes cracked.

"Ivory?" The earth dragon asked with disbelief. "I thought you were..."

"Farady saved us." The white dragoness explained, pointing her savior. "I'll heal you and explain everything meanwhile..." She wanted to start healing Crag, but she felt that she lacked magical power. "No, not now!" She shouted desperately. She tried to focus again, but she couldn't catch the magical aura, which simply wasn't around her.

"You have no magic, huh?" Crag said with weak voice. "Neither have I." He whispered sadly. Ivory wanted to put paw to her bag and take bandage when she realized she had no medicaments at all. She had lost it during the fight. So did Crag.

"You'll not die, Crag." Ivory promised, as tears appeared in her eyes. She had escaped wyverns and flew all this way just to watch him die? No. She knew what to do. She was done watching her friends die and she would save Crag, even if it would kill her. The white dragoness made small wound at her paw and this same at his. She connected them and pushed her paw away several seconds later. Between them, there appeared red aura. She barely managed to stand still, as she created this. Farady watched the red light with fascination. She never thought that in the whole world, there could exist such beautiful magic. Crag's eyes grew wide, as he realized what she meant to do.

"Don't you dare!" He shouted desperately. "Ivory!"

"What's going on?" Farady asked silently, not understanding situation at all.

"It's... exchange of lifes." Dante whispered with disbelief. "Ivory wants to give him her whole life power to save all his wounds." The poet, as well-read person, explained.

"Whole? So she'll die?" Farady asked with disbelief. "Who could have created so cruel technique?" She quickly changed her mind about that beautiful in appearance magic.

"Yes, she will die." The poet confirmed silently.

"I'm sorry, Crag." Ivory whispered. Then, she started transferring her life energy, slowly, but inevitably.

"Dante, stop her!" Crag shouted. The poet made step forward when Ivory jerked her head and glared into his eyes.

"Don't you dare interfering me!" She shouted furiously. "It's between me and him!" Dante stopped, not knowing what to do. He slowly stepped back to Farady, not wanting to stand between those two. He could be standing there, but whatever he'd choose, the living one would be angry at him. Ivory was slowly transferring her life energy. Then, without a reason, it stopped. "What the..." She asked, surprised. Crag grinned.

"Lian wrote that in theory, one life energy can stop the another. Looks like she was right." He whispered triumphantly.

"She never wrote that... I'd have read it..." Ivory refused with disbelief.

"You couldn't read it." Then, Crag took something from bag at his side. It was that mysterious, small, old notebook, which Crag would always have with him, but never show to anyone. She remembered it, it had "Li" in the title. She thought it was just Lisanna's notebook or something like that. Crag raised it, so the white dragoness could read faded letters of title.

"Lian's... Diary." Ivory whispered with disbelief.

"You're not the only Lian's descendant. Lisanna shared this same blood." Crag explained.

"Just give up, Crag, let me heal you!" Ivory shouted madly, knowing that time wasn't her ally. "I'm done watching my friends and family die because of my helplessness! I've lost dad, I've lost Flush..."

"And I'm done watching dragons dying instead of me! My parents, Lisanna... No more!" Crag shouted madly. They both realized that they both were in this same situation, every argument would work in both sides. "You have your son. You have to live for him."

"And you have Idris! You promised that you would return to her, didn't you?! But not as a corpse, as a living dragon!" Ivory was crying already. "I haven't made such a promise to anyone! Just let me..."

"You egoist." Crag interrupted her, hissing. Neither of them could stop their tears. But in his voice, there was something that Ivory lacked. Wrath. "Why don't you care what will happen after your death?! You'll leave all your friends behind just like that?! With your potential and skills you're practically a demon of magic! Without you, Sable and others will never escape from this forest! You have to live for others, for all those dragons you'll save in future, for your friends, the guardians, your son! Who else will teach him how to control his gift?! You have to live! It's you, not me!" He shouted madly at her. He had never been so angry at her. In Ivory's mind, there appeared doubts. Was her choice really so selfish? "You cannot leave this world just like that, just because you wish so, even if you'll suffer!" The earth dragon continued. "Do you hear me?!"

"I... Crag, I never... I just want... to protect you... you all..." Ivory whispered, crying.

"It's fine." The earth dragon spoke with gentle, calming voice now. "You gave your best, you didn't surrender to the end. But sometimes, it's just beyond us." He smiled sadly. "I'll give you my life power now. Will you let me do it?" He asked silently

"Crag, I can't..." Ivory wanted to argue.

"Just let me go." The earth dragon pleased.

"I...it's wrong..." She took deep breath. "It's so wrong!" The white dragoness could feel tears flowing down her cheeks.

"No, it's fine." Crag disagreed. "It's not your fault at all, no one will ever blame you. Just let me do it. Fine?" He asked. In his voice, she could hear begging.

"F...fine." The white dragoness agreed with her heart sinking lower and lower. She... she just let it go. Once again she let it go. Ivory felt power flowing into her body, as her own essence returned and Crag started pushing his one as well. It was so weak.

"Ivory, promise me something." The earth dragon whispered.

"Anything." Ivory watched her friend carefully.

"My daughter... Idris... take her to Warfang and raise her as your own daughter. She'll need at least one parent." He pleased. "And take it. I should have given it to you years ago." He raised his paw, giving her Lian's diary. Ivory grasped it.

"I will raise her as my own daughter." The ice dragoness promised. "I can do at least this for you."

"Crag, thank you." Dante finally managed to say something. Farady was standing right next to him, holding his paw strongly, as she tried to stop tears. Though feral, she appeared to be sensitive dragon. "You could have saved yourself instead of me. I definitely owe you life." Then, Crag smiled slightly.

"I'm terrible father. But you... you'll be much better father for your hatchling, right?" The medic watched poet carefully and he bobbed his head. "Well, everyone..." Crag took his last breath. "Farewell." He whispered. After those words, he died. Ivory started crying loudly, not believing that it was really happening. She was raising her head to the sky watching dark clouds above her head. Two dragons watched her suffering in silence. They stood like that for some time when it started raining intensively.

"Dante, could you dig grave with your element?" Ivory pleased, once she was able to speak normally again. It took her long time. "We need to bury him." She said with pitiful voice.

"Yes." Dante focused and, not without effort, he made hole in the earth, just enough for Crag's body. Then, Ivory focused some magic. It was the miserable amount of magical energy which she was given together with her friend's life essence. But it was just enough for what she planned. Her right arm glowed with azure light.

"What are you doing?" Dante asked silently.

"Something I've learnt lately." She placed her paw on Crag's shoulder and at his skin, there appeared thin surface of magic. "It will protect his body, so it will remain undamaged by time. One day, we'll return here and take his body, so we can bury him next to his mate, in his home village." She explained. "Could you help me?" All three dragons lifted medic's body and gently put it in the grave. Then, they buried it with earth. They were standing before improvised grave for several minutes in silence. Ivory noticed that she was never good in stopping her tears.

"We have to find Tris." Dante suggested.

"Yes, let's go." Ivory agreed.

"At least it's raining. The wyverns will never find us." Farady said good news, but her voice couldn't be called cheerful at all.

"No. It's not the rain." Ivory disagreed. The feral dragoness watched her, not understanding what she meant, but poet realized that even too well.

"Farady, those are... tears." Dante explained her sadly.

The dragons were travelling above the forest in direction where had ran Tris, as they guessed. They didn't have to look for it for long time, but they noticed it only thanks to Farady who pointed out burnt leaves, which other two dragons barely noticed. They lowered their flight to eventually land in forest. Their eyes grew wide. They could see bodies of four wyverns, one of them burnt, other three killed with talons and teeth. The stench of dragon and wyvern blood was very intensive, even though the rain. It had already soaked in the earth, water wouldn't clear it easily.

"What happened here?" Ivory asked, watching whole that place with disbelief. The lightning dragoness was already analyzing the battlefield.

"She was attacked, but managed to kill four of them, before..." Farady didn't finish her sentence.

"Before?" Dante asked. He had very bad feelings.

"One of wyverns wounded her very seriously. She lost much blood. There must have been someone more, most likely a wyvern who took her back to Celeste Tribu." The lightning dragoness said.

"So, if we go in direction of Celeste..." Dante started.

"Dante, it was nine hours ago! If he wasn't medic, which I could hardly believe, bleeding to death was matter of hours, if lucky! And we don't even know which direction he went, there are at least four paths from here to Celeste." Farady refused, before he would start blinding himself with hope.

"So..." The poet realized what she meant. "There's nothing we can do?"

"Nothing. She's most likely dead by now. I'm sorry." The feral dragoness hung her head sadly, Ivory sighed with sorrow. She wiped out a tear, as she leaned against some tree, completely crushed. They were supposed to protect her, make a distraction, but they failed.

"Damn it!" Dante shouted and hit tree with paw. He clenched the paw strongly, cursing in mind his helplessness. In his eyes, there appeared tears, which mixed with rain flowing down his cheeks. "Damn it! Damn, damn, damn!" With every curse, he hit trunk with all his strength, throwing away small pieces of bark. Tears started flowing down his cheeks. Two dragonesses watched him in silence. "Damn it!" He fell to his knees, so helpless. Then, she felt some calming warmth at his shoulder.

"I know how you feel losing someone who you love from the bottom of your heart. I've experienced it long time ago. But we should go." Farady said. "I'll take you to my home, they will never find you there." For several moments, he didn't say a word, but only cried in the rain.

"Let's just leave this cursed place behind." Dante agreed. All three dragons took off. They were flying in complete silence. Farady really pitied those dragons. In one moment, they lost two so precious to them companions. She could only imagine herself how badly Dante suffered. Tris was his mate. Pregnant mate. Could life be any more cruel to him? And yet, something in Farady's heart was happy that she wouldn't stand in the way between him and Dante. The lightning dragoness shook her head strongly, getting rid of that heartless thought. Their lives were taken by those cruel wyverns. The dragoness raised her head, searching through clouds for sun. To her surprise, it still was just dawn. So much happened, so many tears fell that she could swear it should have already been the midnight.


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29. "Broken hearted"

The fire dragoness blinked her eyes quickly. She could hear a waterfall quite near. Above her, there was stony ceiling. But it was different than the one in Celeste Tribu. It wasn't so smooth. Tris realized that she was in some natural cave. She was laying at something soft. She tried to stand up, but she felt terrible, stinging pain in her belly. She looked at the course of pain and realized that whole her belly was bandaged, in amateur way, as she noticed. Blood had already started soaking through it.

"Thanks ancestors, you're alive! I hoped you'd stand up earlier than at the afternoon, but at least you woke up." Tris heard a male voice, lisping a little. She jerked her head to see the fire dragon standing next to her. He was most likely equal to her. His scales were intensive red, even crimson, but his belly and wing membranes were brown. His tailblade looked like a stream of fire, beautiful in its expression, even if it was completely dark. His physique she described as strong and maybe even athletic, he definitely trained his body a lot.

"You... Did you save me?" She asked the first thing appeared in her mind. The fire breather just smiled cheerfully.

"Of course, it was me. Can you see here anyone else?" He asked rhetorically. "And sis says that it's always me to ask silly questions." He said with such a voice, as if he was happy that at last, he wasn't the only one to ask about obvious things.

"Sis?" Tris asked, dumbstruck. She still couldn't fully realize what was going on.

"Yes, my sister, Farady. She keeps saying that I make up my imbecility with wisely-sounding name." The fire dragon smiled, scratching his neck with embarrassment.

"And what's your name?" Tris asked.

"Right, I've completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Keezheekoni." Tris watched him strangely, unsure how to spell his name. "Keezheekoni. Call me Zheek." He repeated slowly. He sounded like he had already got used to such a situation when someone didn't understand his name.

"I am Tris, Keezheekoni. Your name indeed sounds wise." She admitted. "It's your bed, right?" She pointed the bed at which she was laying.

"Yes, it is." Zheek confirmed.

"I have to take those bandages off. Will you mind if I bleed it a little more than it is already?" She asked.

"No, not really." The fire dragon just shrugged. Tris nodded and started taking the bandage off.

"How did you save me?" She asked curiously.

"I found you with slashed belly in that forest, around you were laying four dead wyverns..."

"Not three?" The medic interrupted.

"There were four." Zheek confirmed his words. "I wanted to carry you straight here, but I realized that you'd bleed to death in no time, so I took bandages from your bag and used those. After that, I brought you here. Four hours ago I've wore on it another bandage, since the blood was soaking through the first one already." Then, he watched Tris curiously. "Are you sure it's good idea to take those off?" He asked skeptically.

"Normally, not. But I'll heal my wounds with magic. Besides, I need to check something. You see, I..." Then, Tris groaned painfully, as she took off the last bandage, so now she could see the wound. "I am pregnant and that wyvern slashed my belly, so I'm worried if it damaged dragonet. I can't know that without taking it off." She explained.

"I thought so, your belly was curved a little, so I was careful about it." Zheek said. Tris smiled slightly.

"I appreciate it." Then, she started estimating her state. After a moment, she sighed with relief and laid her head back on the bed, smiling slightly.

"Is it fine?" The fire dragon asked.

"And I thought I ask silly questions." Tris replied with similar sentence to the one she had heard earlier. "I was so lucky." Then, she laid her paws on wounds and started releasing magic in order to heal it as much as she could.

"Yeah, I think so too. Which month?" He asked curiously.

"Almost third already." Tris said proudly.

"Congratulations. Aren't you a little too young , as for pregnancy?" Zheek noticed.

"I'm already seventeen. I'm not so young." Tris disagreed. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen, Farady's nineteen." The fire breather answered. "You're a city dragon, aren't you?"

"How did you recognize?" The medic watched him curiously.

"Your accent told me." Zheek smiled. "You, city dragons have characteristic accent."

"You, city dragons..." Tris repeated slowly, considering. "You're fe... free dragon, aren't you?"

"You meant feral?" The fire breather glared at her carefully, in his voice, there could be heard sad note.

"No, free." Tris refused quickly. Zheek watched her skeptically, but after several seconds, he smiled. He believed her.

"I hate being called feral." He explained, the sad note was gone at all. "As if I was worse than dragons living in cities and villages. Anyway, what were you doing here?"

"It's quite complicated. I'd need quite a lot of time to tell it all to you." Tris answered evasively.

"Tell me, I have nothing but time." Zheek replied. The fire dragoness just shrugged. She couldn't disagree. After all, she had lost much blood, so she shouldn't move for some time. And so, she started her story.

The hours were passing quickly, as Tris was explaining her savior how Vixen had showed up from nowhere, which caused them to have a journey to Celeste Tribu and how they were eventually attacked. Tris mentioned every detail she remembered, the longest time took her describing cruise through the lake in the night. Her story ended up with the separation and the pursuit in the forest, she didn't forget about Viento de la Muerto.

"Viento de la Muerto..." Zheek repeated slowly, thinking intensively. "What do you think about this?"

"I don't know what to think about it. I saw what he did to Vixen when she tried to catch him. And he helped me a little in that forest. But I'm not really worried about him. I mean, he wants something, or rather, somebody from wyverns, not us. As long as we don't stand in his way, he will do nothing to us. Who knows, maybe he'll even work in our favor?"

"And you say you've found cure for the wounds he deals?" The feral dragon asked curiously.

"Well, there's a will, there's a way." Tris smiled. "I took several herbs, mixed them and I made it, just in time for Vixen. It's not hard when you've been Douten's student. Have you heard of Vengantimos?" She asked.

"Yes, I have. Why do you ask?" Zheek was obviously missing the point of that question, which wasn't surprising.

"Their leader, Douten was a genius alchemist. He had been teaching me the medical alchemy before whole that mess with Venganza started. I know that he was evil, but still, he was a genius. Thanks to him I know practically everything about herbs." Tris didn't bother herself with sham modesty.

"Do you?" Zheek watched her skeptically.

"You can test me. Do you have any herbs here?" She asked. The fire dragon looked around, but he didn't have any, just shrugged. "Take some from my bag." Tris suggested. Zheek nodded, opened her bag and took from it herb from the very bottom. It was simple yellow flower.

"Dandelion." Tris said quickly and smiled. "You can choose rarer herbs." She suggested.

"I know it's dandelion, tell me what it's for." Zheek explained what he meant.

"Treating kidney and liver diseases, sometimes used in case of spleen problems." The medic recited without a second of hesitation.

"Spleen?" The feral dragon didn't know that word.

"Organ which is important for blood and immune system. It's pretty small, I've learnt of it at the medical studies, so I'm not surprised that you don't know it." She explained. Zheek started looking for harder and harder herbs from her bag, but Tris every time would tell what herb it was and what was it used for, teaching Zheek some details of anatomy in meanwhile. Neither of them even noticed when the evening came.

At the evening, when Zheek finally realized how late it was, he apologized the fire dragoness and left her, promising that he'd be back in less than hour. Tris was finding him really funny dragon, his scatterbrained behavior was sometimes hilarious. He didn't fit her definition of feral, or rather, free dragon. She would often hear opinions that they were simply savage and Zheek proved her that this all was just a lie. The fire dragon left the cave quickly and flew into the forest. He sat at some big rock and waited. There passed ten, maybe fifteen minutes when from between trees, there appeared three dragons.

"Farady? Who's that?" The fire breather watched them carefully.

"Those are Ivory and Dante." The lightning dragoness told her brother.

"My name is Keezheekoni." Both Ivory and Dante looked at each other, surprised a little. His name was not only long, but he lisped, so they couldn't understand it at all. Zheek sighed deeply seeing their reaction. "I am Keezheekoni. Call me Zheek." He repeated slowly and patiently. "You're going to our home, aren't you?" Two dragons nodded slightly.

"I think, I remember your two. Haven't we met before?" Ivory said, watching siblings.

"I don't recall it." Zheek refused.

"Wait, you're Flush's mate, aren't you?" Farady asked with disbelief. The white dragoness nodded slightly. "We've met at the funeral."

"You were those two dragons who sang the farewell song..." Ivory watched them with disbelief. She would never expect to meet them again.

"Yeah, I remember you now, Ivory." Zheek smiled slightly. "It's good to know that you're not really strangers, city dragons." The siblings were walking in front, several meters behind them, Dante and Ivory were following them.

"So, what happened?" The fire breather asked, even if it was quite possible that he knew more than her about those city dragons. Farady told him all that she knew. Then, the plot of their conversation turned to Dante.

"Dante..." The lightning dragoness sighed deeply. "He's so handsome, so amazing. And you should have heard him rhyming." She was whispering so Dante wouldn't hear.

"You have crush on a city dragon? In those circumstances?" Zheek watched his sister with disbelief.

"I know, I know that Dante's mourning, right now, but you know, when he's done..." Farady didn't finish her sentence. In that moment, all four dragons went behind the waterfall and entered the cave. It was placed in such a way that there was no problem in entering in there completely dry. Sometimes water would splash and wet someone a little, but it would happen rarely.

"I'll try to make him my mate." The lightning dragoness added, sending her brother with eyes clear message that she doubted in his intelligence. Zheek just smiled slightly.

"You won't have to wait long for him to finish his mourning. In fact, you won't even notice when he'll turn into the most cheerful dragon in the world." At fire breather's face, there danced ominous grin. He wasn't wishing her good luck.

"Do you know something I don't?" Farady asked with disbelief.

"Dante, come here, there's something you have to see." Zheek called the earth dragon. The poet went with no enthusiasm, having completely no idea what he meant. Then he entered the sleeping room of the siblings. At one of the beds, he saw her.

"Tris!" Dante shouted cheerfully, with one jump he appeared next to her and cuddled her gently, carefully about the bandages at her belly. Before the fire dragoness managed to say something, she felt she was passionately kissed. "I thought I've lost you." He whispered. "We saw that you've lost so much blood and..."

"Zheek saved me." Tris explained. Dante turned at the fire breather standing behind them and watched him thankfully.

"I…" The poet started, but he could find no words to express how thankful he was. That was quite rare, as for him.

"Thanks will be just enough." Zheek interrupted the awkward silence, smiling in silly way.

"Thank you." Dante smiled as well. "If Tris died… I have no idea what I would do." The poet had didn't really know what to say. Ivory just watched whole this happening smiling slightly, happy that at least Tris was saved. She enjoyed happiness of the couple.

"We'll give your three some privacy, you surely have to talk some things through." Zheek noticed. "Farady, come on." He called his sister who for all that time was staying still completely dumbstruck. Her brother poked her once more. "Are you going?" The fire breather watched her curiously.

"Yup." The lightning dragoness confirmed and two dragons walked away to the main hall of the cave. It was a corridor long for twenty meters and height of four or five with seven branches, each of them was big as ordinary room, the one where dragons were was their sleeping room, the other six remained not used at all. There could be heard quite loud roar of the waterfall since they were standing right next to it. Siblings were standing in the silence for some time when Keezheekoni grinned ominously.

"Oh, broken hearted, my poor sis?" He asked with sham pity. She would get at him so often that he simply couldn't miss such an opportunity. Farady gave him hateful sight.

"Just shut up." She hissed angrily, feeling that her heart was sinking lower and lower. She started walking to exit. "I'll be back in several hours." She said. Zheek could barely hear her voice because of the waterfall, so he didn't notice whole the anger it was filled with. He just shrugged and came back to the others.

At the evening, Sable, with Viola on his back was flying quickly. Next to him, there was Vixen. Neither of them wanted to interrupt the silence. The rain had finally stopped just an hour earlier. They both realized that next several hours were going to decide about Viola's live. Sable was completely out of his magic and his mate was still dying, even if he did everything he could. All that he could count on now was that Ivory, Crag and Tris would be waiting for them in the place where he told them to go. If they managed to escape...

"Are you alright, Sable?" Vixen asked silently.

"No, I'm not." The lightning dragon confirmed her worries. He didn't say anything more for some time. Then, they heard roar of the waterfall. "It's here." Sable stated with something like relief. Dragons landed before stream and walked inside, avoiding of getting wet. The cave was completely dark, which wasn't really surprising. They walked in. Sable's eyes, which still could see in darkness almost as well as wyverns, noticed that there was someone several meters farther. Then, they heard loud cough. It sounded like someone old and seriously ill.

"Who's there?" Sable asked.

"Why do you disturb an old exile?" They heard old voice with hissing accent, characteristic for wyverns. "Who are you?" The voice asked curiously.

"I am Sable, the lightning dragon." Sable introduced himself.

"Cuarto Vengantimo. I've heard of you, wyvern." An old voice said.

"I'm not a wyvern!" Sable shouted madly.

"Your accent tells me something completely opposite. Not speaking of bipedality." The exile said. The lightning dragon knew he still had some remaining of his wyvern accent but to notice it so quickly? He could hardly believe that.

"We just want to stay here for a night. My mate is wounded, she's dying." Sable argued.

"Zheek, for ancestors' sake, he's with us!" Sable heard a familiar female voice from the back of cave. It must have been Ivory.

"Captain?" He asked with disbelief. Then, a small fireball appeared from darkness and set torch on fire. In weak light Sable noticed two dragons. That was Ivory and some young fire dragon. "Captain!" Sable smiled with relief. "Viola is hurt, we need to..."

"I heard, come on." Ivory encouraged them. She had spent last several hours not healing Tris, but charging her magic; it was a good place, overfilled with spiritual energy, so she could gather quite much of it. And now she thanked herself in mind for this choice.

"Take them to Tris." Zheek said with normal voice. "You should have told me that Vengantimo is your friend." He watched Ivory with remorse. Then, Sable stood before him.

"Any problem with my past, feral?" Former Vengantimo guessed that he was feral and seeing his expression he knew he was right.

"Sable, come on." Ivory suggested. The lightning user nodded and all dragons went deeper to the cave. Three of them, Ivory, Sable and Viola, that is, entered to room where Tris and Dante were and Zheek and Vixen remained at the corridor. The black dragoness was staying with her back to the fire breather, watching other dragons, since she didn't feel she should stand with them. She completely forgot about the fire breather. He was glaring at her with widely opened eyes, enjoying her beauty in gentle torchlight. Vixen involuntarily narrowed at him and then, noticed that sight. She wouldn't mind it at all, if not one small detail. He was insolently glaring at her butt.

"My eyes are here." The black dragoness noticed with annoyance, as she turned around. The fire breather blushed intensively and watched into her eyes only to turn his sight away from her immediately. She didn't seem to be in good mood. But then, she giggled childishly, as if she was just a hatchling. Zheek looked at her, dumbstruck.

"Whatever, I don't mind. I'm Vixen, the wind dragoness." The black dragoness bowed slightly.

"K...Kee...z..zheekoni, the fire breather." Zheek bowed gently as well while introducing himself. He knew he was stuttering, but he couldn't help that. Her eyes... Those were so abashing, so beautiful.

"Keezheekoni. That's quite a long name." Vixen repeated it without any problem, which surprised the fire breather. "Is there any shortcut for that?" She asked curiously.

"Shortcut?" He asked, a little dumbstruck. "Right, call me Zheek." He added quickly. "You know, that's first time someone remembers, no, someone can, wait, is able to..." The fire breather obviously had problems with expressing himself. Vixen giggled once more.

"Slow down, we have time." She pleased. Zheek nodded and considered what he wanted to say. His thoughts were so chaotic, every time, he'd just look at her, he was completely absorbed with her and...

"That is the first time I don't have to repeat my name, before you could spell it." Zheek explained. "Oh, and isn't fox supposed to be red?" He asked curiously. Vixen realized what he meant after several seconds.

"Right, vixen..." She sighed deeply. "Isn't a dragon supposed to speak with dragon's accent?" She riposted quickly. Both of them smiled.

"You mean that trick with your companion..." Vixen nodded slightly, confirming Zheek's words. "You see, I can imitate voices of the others. Language is a powerful weapon, imitating voice of wyverns I can mock them and surprise even more than with a simple trick." He explained. "So I learnt to respect my language and not to use any profanity, you know, like curses or..." Then, Vixen, without warning, stabbed his paw with tailblade. Zheek hissed painfully and watched her with surprise.

"Ouch! Why did you do that?"

"Just testing you." Vixen grinned and the fire breather immediately calmed down, enjoying her beautiful smile. "I was raised by Primero Vengantimo. I know the power of word even too well."

"Were you?" Zheek asked with disbelief. The black dragoness nodded slightly. "So you're that Vixen."

"Is it wrong?" The black dragoness asked with concern.

"No, not at all." The fire breather refused quickly. "I've heard of you, you haven't killed any dragon. In fact, you saved Spyro." Zheek recalled what he had heard some time ago. "You don't know this area well, do you?"

"Not really, why do you ask?" Vixen watched deeply into his eyes. His cheeks turned crimson in the very moment when their sights met, which could be noticed even despite his red scales. Vixen smiled slightly, realizing that.

"You... If you want to..." Zheek started stuttering again, even if he was begging in mind to stop doing that. "My help... if you need..." He sighed deeply. Vixen watched him with both pity and amusement. The fire breather focused once more. He took deep breath. "If you need my help not to get lost, to show some interesting places around here, so we ... just ask." He offered, hoping that Vixen would notice the hidden meaning of his words. Zheek was finding her so abashing that he simply couldn't ask her straightly to go out together.

"I appreciate, but I doubt, if I'll need it. I have very good orientation in terrain. And besides, many years ago, I used to live here." The black dragoness refused, completely missing the real point of his words. She could be a clever dragoness and talented fighter, but her love life couldn't be called advanced. In fact, she had none. Zheek wanted to say something, but someone's calling interrupted him.

"Vixen, come here." Sable pleased.

"Coming." Vixen confirmed. "We'll talk later, Zheek." She said with apologizing hint.

"Oh..." Zheek sighed with disappointment. "I...I'll go hunt something... for a dinner." He explained and when Vixen nodded, headed straight to the exit. Then, next to him, there appeared Farady. The dragoness was in disturbingly good mood, as for her, singing something silently. Once the fire breather noticed her grin, he already knew what she would say.

"Oh, broken hearted, my poor hypocrite?" The lightning dragoness grinned insolently as she parodied her brother's voice from earlier.

"Just..." Zheek felt his blood boiling. "Don't say a word." He pleased. "We have to hunt some dinner for the others."

"Oh, right." Farady said, disappointed. "Let's go." The siblings passed by the waterfall and started walking deeply into the forest. "We're not lucky about love, huh?" The dragoness noticed watching deeply into his eyes. The fire breather laughed silently.

"No, not really, at least this far." Zheek admitted, hung his head and sighed sadly. "So, let's hunt."


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30. "When battle dust falls"

Sable was sitting on the top of waterfall, right above the entrance to the cave where they had hidden. Since their final meeting, there passed only several hours. It was the middle of night and yet, the lightning dragon didn't hurry to go sleeping. He wasn't sleepy at all, noise of the waterfall wouldn't let him sleep at all. But even though its roar, he heard steps behind him, felt the presence. Next to him, at the big stone, there sat Dante.

"I hope you don't mind." The poet said silently, with voice deprived of any happiness.

"No, not at all." In fact, Sable was glad that he came.

"So, where are we going from here? Any plans, ideas?" The earth dragon asked hopefully.

"You're not rhyming." The lightning user noticed with surprise.

"Do you really find it good time for those careless rhymes of mine?" Dante's question was rhetorical.

"No, it's not." Despite that, Sable answered. "Thinking of this now, we're very lucky that we've made it this far." The lightning user said. Even though poet was a little surprised at first, he understood what Sable meant.

"Strange luck, isn't it? You don't know if you should whether cry or laugh." Dante noticed, as he watched the stars carefully.

"Indeed." Sable confirmed. "I'm taking you out of here alive. All of you." He repeated his promise from the very beginning of their escape. He sighed deeply. "Those appeared to be just empty words."

"We'll all miss Crag." Dante could easily read through his mind. "I still can't believe that he bought my life instead of his. After all, he left his daughter."

"Daughter?" Sable asked with disbelief. "I thought he hadn't any..."

"Right, you don't know." Dante said rather to himself than Sable. "He has had mate once, she died, so Crag left his home village and came to Warfang, having no idea that his daughter lived. Ivory promised to raise her as her own daughter." The poet repeated what he had heard from Ivory while Farady had been leading them to her home.

"I see." That was all that Sable said. The silence fell between two dragons. Neither of them interrupted it for a while, listening to the roar of waterfall and watching the stars.

"Do you really believe we were lucky?" The poet asked doubtfully after several minutes of silence. "I mean..."

"I know what you mean." Sable interrupted him. "We are lucky that six of us is still alive. And we have some new allies. The fact that we were given such great help from both inside and outside the wyvern city... It's the only thing that saved our lives. And we couldn't count on it at all."

"When you were prince, you've escaped all alone with your sister at your back, didn't you?" Dante noticed.

"Then, I could count on help of whole army of my parents, many of them paid for it with their lives. And still, I didn't manage to save Sonrisa. I am alive just because of lucky circumstances." Sable explained.

"Oh, so that's how it works." The poet sighed deeply. "So, how are girls? Will they make it?" He asked another question, which both medics were avoiding to answer.

"Tris will be fine without any doubts. In two weeks she'll be just like newborn." The lightning assured.

"It's good that she hasn't seen the most of the bloodshed. It's not a view for her." The poet noticed. "And how's Viola?"

"Viola..." Sable's voice trailed off, in his eye, there appeared tear.

"She's bad, isn't she?" Dante asked sadly.

"Very bad. Tris can't heal in her state, even if she really wishes to do so. I and Ivory have used whole our magical power already, so it's only up to Viola. All we can do is waiting. The next week will be decisive." The medic explained sadly, knowing that his mate's life was hanging by a thread and all he could do was waiting. He hated this feeling. "What will we do now, Dante?" Sable asked desperately. The poet watched him with disbelief. Didn't he have any plan?

"I hoped you'd tell me." The earth dragon confessed.

"Next two weeks we'll wait, that's for sure. But later..." Sable sighed deeply. He didn't want to even consider option of his mate's death. She couldn't die. She simply couldn't. "Later, we'll come up with something. In those two weeks, many things may change."

"So we'll wait." Dante agreed with helplessness in his voice. Then, he cursed silently in despair. Both dragons were completely crushed. In fact, morale not only of those two, but all dragons, had never since their leaving Warfang been as low as that night.

At this same evening, the prince Oscuro slowly entered through the main gate. It was lifted and kept up by some stone pillars, which surprised him. As he entered, the guards bowed before him. Double number of usual number of guards, as he noticed. Unnecessary, Oscuro perfectly knew that Sable wouldn't attack them. Several wyverns, metallurgists, were crouching at the mechanism of the gate and working on it intensively.

"What happened?" The prince asked workers curiously. They all interrupted their job, stood still and bowed deeply before him.

"Those cursed dragons destroyed the mechanism of the main gate while escaping." One of metallurgists explained. Oscuro smiled slightly with irony. Week earlier they were saviors, now "those cursed dragons". Was manipulating the crowd really that easy? Terrifying.

"I see. When will you finish it?" Oscuro asked curiously.

"It will have been done by two weeks, if there won't be any delays." The prince nodded and continued walking. But he didn't get even one hundred meters from the gate, when he heard calling.

"Oscuro! Oscuro!" He heard melodious voice, looked around and felt somebody hugging him. "You're back, sweety!" Luna kissed her mate passionately. The prince smiled with pleasure, as they were standing like that and hugging each other. "So, how it was in Esteralldo?" She asked curiously.

"Not so bad, the negotiations with king Hechizo went surprisingly smoothly." Oscuro grinned. There weren't many negotiators as talented as him. "And how was it in here? I've heard that dragons escaped father's trap."

"Terrible mess. Sable himself killed at least twenty soldiers and knocked out remaining eighty of them from the squad that was supposed to kill them. He's a real demon of a sword, don't you think? I blocked some of father and Cobro's soldiers, so they couldn't help. Now I'm making up that I had no idea that my orders caused such a trouble. I also saved Dante." Luna whispered last three sentences to make sure that no one would eavesdrop.

"Good job." Oscuro nuzzled her. "That's relief that they really believe you're that... reckless." Luna giggled silently.

"Well, sitting at every audience before the king with what-am-I-doing-here expression and the fact that before I became princess I've been singer work just perfect for me." The princess explained.

"I've met Sable when they were escaping." Oscuro confessed and his mate watched him with surprise. "I'll suggest Verdad looking for those dragons far away, since they must be hiding relatively close." He decided.

"Still helping him? That's risky game." Luna noticed. The prince bobbed his head.

"I realize that. But it's something I find right."

"Why do you think they're close?" The princess asked curiously.

"Viola was seriously wounded, so if Sable wants to save her, he'll have to stop sooner or later. And he's definitely not kind of person who would give up on anyone, especially his own mate." The wyvern explained.

"So, we'll push our soldiers trying to find the dragons, but leaving those behind us. We'll have to split our squads up and they'll use those gaps to slip between us and escape." Luna guessed her mate's plan.

"Exactly." The prince smiled slightly. Then, before them, there appeared some wyverness, the royal messenger.

"Principe Oscuro, Princesa Luna, Señor de la Tribu wants to see you in the Throne Hall." She said quickly. The prince smiled, recognizing her. As all royal messengers, she had characteristic, beautiful armor, but she had something much more unique- simple gold scale at her paw.

"Oroescama, it's good to see you." The prince greeted her, watching her sadly. He knew that she was mourning her deceased mate. "How does king know I'm already back?" Oscuro asked curiously.

"He only told me to bring Princesa Luna and you, Principe Oscuro, if you've already returned." The wyverness explained.

"I see. Tell king that we're coming." The royal messenger nodded and started running again, this time in direction of Throne Hall. Oscuro sighed deeply, watching her disappearing behind corner. "Well, I'll be able to tell him that even faster than I thought." He noticed. He had to admit that he was stressed a little.

Cobro entered the apartment where the seven dragons had lived for last several weeks. It quite messy after Dante's fight, at the floor, there still was blood. The prince could not really believe that just a poet managed to kill the soldier. Especially when the soldier sent there was very experienced in close distance fight. The prince just shrugged. "It definitely was lucky day to those dragons." He said to himself. In the room, there were two other soldiers. They had been waiting for the prince. Both of them saluted, as he entered.

"What have you found?" Cobro asked curiously, sparing all three of them official conversation.

"I think that's nothing important, but..." The one of soldiers started.

"You're not the one to think here." Cobro interrupted him and the wyvern stopped speaking in half of a word, ashamed.

"We've found some documents that belonged to dragons. They've left it behind accidentally, in the pile of all these novels at that bookcase." The second of soldiers explained, pointing several shelves with books. Then, he handed the prince small, not very thick book. Cobro watched it carefully. It had no title, it wasn't old, but fresh, written no more than a year earlier. He was spending lots of time with the documents, he could easily recognize its age.

"Have you read it? Is there anything interesting?" He asked, leafing through the little book written with beautiful handwriting. He looked at its beginning to find information about it and read it silently. "Rewritten by Stella, the lightning guardian?" He said curiously. Then, he turned at his soldiers. "So, have you found anything in here?" He asked.

"Please look at the ending of the page one hundred fifty two, Principe. That could interest you." The soldier said. The prince nodded, opened the book quickly and started reading the last paragraph. And then, he grinned.

"Oh, that's interesting indeed." In his mind already appeared an idea how to use this book. Now, all that he wished for was facing Sable.

Oscuro and Luna entered the Hall Throne. At the throne, there was sitting king Verdad with his sword at his side. Before him, there were standing three wyverns: Clavius, Cobro and Leal. The couple stood at left from them and Verdad smiled, grinning. It was his very first audience with all princes.

"So, Cobro, could you sum up what's our situation in the case of the dragons?" Señor de la Tribu pleased.

"Yes, father." The heir to the throne nodded slightly. "After collapse of the roof in the surgery room, dragons separated in two groups: Sable, Vixen and wounded Viola. Soon, Syrius joined them. I was called by one of citizens that he has seen the dragons at the main gate, but when I and my soldiers came there, Syrius had already closed the gate behind gate and destroyed the mechanism opening it, so we couldn't lift the gate and follow them immediately. Meanwhile, Leal fell on other three dragons, Ivory, Crag and Tris who forced her to lead them out the tribe. Soon, Dante who somehow managed to escape from apartments and joined them." Luna smiled slightly. It looked like Leal didn't tell anyone about her help to Dante. "They all left the tribe with side exit and Leal told, or rather guessed..." Cobro watched his mate for a second who nodded. "...Clavius where to go. Clavius caught two of them, Dante and Ivory and left Crag to bleed to death, but we don't know what happened with Tris."

"So where are captivities?" Oscuro asked curiously.

"Gone. They've escaped, the heavy rain made tracking them down impossible." Cobro explained. He saw that other princes wanted to say something, so he quickly continued. "I want to mention that if not princess Luna, we'd most likely had caught all these dragons."

"Yes, I've already heard of it." Oscuro interrupted it. "I'll make sure that she won't be in charge of any forces from now." He promised. "I thought I could trust her, but I'm disappointed. Still, I hope, there won't be any punishment for her, after all, her intentions were good. Father?" The prince watched curiously his father.

"No, there won't be any." The king promised. "So, now, Oscuro, I want to listen to your suggestions what to do about dragons, how to hunt them down." Verdad watched him curiously.

"We should look for them far away from the tribe, those dragons won't stop for even a day in their situation, neither should we. We push forward, catch up with dragons, surround them and hunt down. I know there's a risk of them finding a gap in ring of searching party, but I'm absolutely sure that Sable wants to get out of here as fast as he can. That's my idea."

"I disagree. Sable is clever, he won't just run forward blindly, he must have some plan. I can bet that he's not so far away as prince Oscuro guesses." Cobro disagreed.

"No, this time, Oscuro is right." Leal, to everyone's surprise, refused her mate's words. "It will work better for us, if we push forward. If we run too far, we can simply return." Oscuro watched her completely dumbstruck. Did Leal really underestimate Sable so badly? Or was it possible that she supported him as well?

"But we don't need to send our soldiers everywhere, only in three or four directions. South, southern east, east, northern east." Cobro enumerated. Both Oscuro and Leal agreed. Refusing to that would be highly suspicious, after all.

"So, we have preliminary plan. Oscuro, Cobro, I want you to be here in three hours, we'll talk about details. Now, all five of you is dismissed." Hearing those words, five wyverns bowed and left the Throne Hall.

Ivory was sitting alone at the top of some hill, reading Lian's diary. It already quite dark, so recognizing letters was getting harder and harder. Then, she heard beat of wings, as next to her, there appeared Vixen. The black dragoness sighed with relief, as she sat down.

"There you are. I've been looking for you everywhere." She said. Her voice was calm, or rather sad.

"Something wrong with Viola?" Ivory asked with worries.

"No, no." Vixen refused quickly. "I have to talk with you."

"About?" The medic watched her curiously.

"Crag." This one word was much more than enough.

"It all was my fault. I...I should have..." Ivory's voice trailed off.

"No, it's not just your fault." Vixen interrupted silently. Something glowed in her eye. It was a tear. "I've brought you all here. I could have just ignored Verdad's message and have happy life in Warfang. But I chose to tell you. And that's why we're here."

"But you didn't know what would happen. And I knew what I chose." Ivory argued.

"I should have realized that it was going to happen. Wyverns must have planned that long time before I left them. Sable trusted me, that's only reason he agreed to come here." Vixen sighed sadly and watched Ivory carefully. Their sights met and both dragonesses realized that they felt exactly this same way; guilty.

"We both have screwed this up, haven't we?" Ivory noticed sadly.

"Indeed." Vixen confirmed. "How did Crag die?"

"Didn't Dante already tell you?" The white dragoness asked.

"He did, briefly, but I wanted to hear it from you." The black dragoness explained.

"After Farady released me and Dante, we convinced her that we should look after Crag, because there still was chance that he was alive. We came at the battlefield from the previous night and found him. Wyverns hadn't killed him, but only wounded seriously, so he would bleed to death. But he had healed most of his wounds when we found them. But I had no magic anymore. Neither of us had even at least bandages... I couldn't do anything, but to watch. Then, I decided that I would use exchange of lifes to save him. Crag was mad, but what could he do?"

"Then how did he stop you?" Vixen asked. There was no curiosity in her voice, but only note of sadness.

"It appeared that he could block my life energy with his own. Lian didn't mention it in any book, but only her diary. This one." Ivory showed her little brown book. "It used to belong to his mate, she was Lian's descendant." The medic explained before Vixen even asked. "We were in impasse, neither of us meant to give up. But then... Crag started shouting at me, how egoistic my choice was. He said that you all would need me to get out of this place. He had never before been that mad at me. I guess that's why I succumbed and..." Ivory's voice trailed off.

"Let him transfer his life energy to you." Vixen guessed the ending. The white dragoness bobbed her head once.

"After that, we buried him. With the remaining of Crag's magic, which he gave me then, I covered him in magical barrier, so nothing will happen to it. I want to return there one day, take his body and bury him in his home village, next to his mate."

"That's... noble of you." Vixen admitted.

"So, who was Crag for you?" Ivory asked.

"A close friend. He saved me from freezing to death and I taught him that vengeance isn't the solution of every problem. We've met first time five or six years ago, right after fall of Venganza. I think we understood each other pretty well, because we both had lost everything. Later, when I came to Warfang and we all headed north, I was helping him with you."

"You mean you pushed him to that confession at Dante's Freezer?" Ivory asked with disbelief.

"No, oppositely. But Crag could be really stubborn sometimes." Vixen smiled sadly with nostalgia. Two dragonesses were sitting in silence for some time, perfectly realizing that both of them were to be blamed for Crag's death.

"You know that Crag's daughter lives, don't you?" Ivory interrupted silence after not less than ten minutes.

"Yes, I know." Vixen confirmed sadly. "He had so many reasons to live..." She sighed sadly. She wanted to say "Oppositely to me". But she found no courage in herself.

"I promised him that I would take care of Idris." Ivory confessed. Black dragoness's eyes grew wide, as she watched her with disbelief.

"Did you? So, once we're back, you'll take her with yourself?" Vixen guessed.

"Yes, I will." Ivory agreed. "I hope I'll be good mother for her."

"I'm sure you will." Vixen agreed with her. "If you need help, just ask me. She's Crag's daughter, I wish I could help her somehow..." It sounded more like asking for favor, not offer. After all, the black dragoness would feel much better, if she could somehow redeem her guilt. "Or wait, just never mind." Vixen changed her mind rapidly.

"What's wrong?" Ivory watched her with worries.

"I'll have to leave you soon anyway. Forever, I believe." The black dragoness foretold. "I guess I won't have opportunity to help you in this case."

"I don't understand. What do you mean? Why would you decide to leave?" The medic watched her with carefully.

"I'll have to." Vixen explained. "I know you don't understand yet. I just feel so... burdened." Then, she glared carefully at Ivory. "You have your secrets as well, don't you? Something that you're scared to tell anyone, not knowing how would they react. Even if you should have done it long time ago." Vixen guessed. In Ivory's mind, there appeared vision of her fury, when she would get mad at Crag; uncontrollable magic. Yes, she had secrets.

"I do." Ivory confirmed.

"Confess it someone, don't lock yourself in great and cold Ivory tower. You don't have to tell it me, neither any dragon who's here. But once we...you come back, tell it someone. Hiding secrets from those whom you should have told will bring only pain." Vixen advised her.

"How about you?" Ivory asked curiously. The black dragoness just smiled sadly.

"Life would be so easy, if we listened to our own advices, don't you think?" She noticed with irony. Vixen sighed deeply. "It's too late for me. I've kept my secret for far too long and I'm going to pay for it, most likely with my own life." Ivory watched the black dragoness with disbelief.

"W...what do you mean?" She asked, not sure, how to behave.

"You'll see this for yourself. Anyway, do you want to hear the whole story how I met Crag?" Vixen changed subject of their conversation.

"I'd love to." Ivory agreed, knowing that the black dragoness wouldn't tell her any more details about her "leaving". And so, two dragonesses started telling each other stories about Crag, how they met him, what dragon he was. Ivory didn't forget about any detail from whole four years of her friendship with Crag and work in hospital, she could recall every his joke, every mishap and every time he'd make everyone around laugh aloud. Both of them really enjoyed that conversation. Sharing their guilt, they could somehow bear it.


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31. "Hunting"

The next day, all the dragons stood up at the very morning. Sable and Ivory who managed to regain some magical power during the night, remained in the hideout while four other dragons went for hunting, since the last evening siblings weren't very lucky about it. Or rather, they didn't even try to be lucky, knowing that at the morning, they would have an opportunity to go at the hunting with Vixen or Dante, which would be for them just perfect. And so, Zheek, Farady and both Dante and Vixen left the cave, ready for hunting.

"We'll hunt much more, if we separate into two groups." Keezheekoni said. "So, who do you want to go with?" He asked everyone.

"I'll go with Dante to the south." Farady answered before anyone managed to suggest something else. Zheek smiled slightly.

"Fine. Vixen, come on." He suggested. The black dragoness nodded and their two walked at the north. The poet and Farady were walking across the forest without unnecessary hurry. As the lightning dragoness said, in forest, it's better not to waste energy for pointless flight or run. They weren't walking in silence, in fact, Farady spoke at the very moment she made sure that there was no one around.

"So, have you ever been hunting?" She asked curiously.

"No, I haven't hunted at all. I'm a stereotypical city dragon who has no idea how to survive beyond the city walls." Dante explained. Farady laughed silently, as she heard a sarcastic hint.

"Before Crag's death, you were rhyming so beautifully. When did you learn that? Why don't you do this anymore?" The feral dragoness watched him curiously.

"I'm doing it since childhood. If I rhyme, it depends on my mood." Dante explained.

"Now you rhymed." Farady noticed. The poet watched her with disbelief.

"Did I rhyme? No." He refused. It looked like he had rhymed involuntarily.

"Yes, you did." The dragoness confirmed with amusement.

"Really? I didn't know." Dante scratched his head, trying to recall that sentence.

"You did that again." Farady informed him. The poet sighed deeply, he didn't even argue.

"Sometimes I do it involuntarily, as you see." He admitted.

"You don't have to explain yourself, I really like you rhyming." The dragoness smiled somehow coquettishly. But Dante, poor supporter of theory that only dragoness who loves dragon is his mate, didn't notice that grin at all.

"Good to know. But I don't feel like rhyming. Not after this all what have happened." The poet explained with note of sorrow.

"You shouldn't worry about Tris. She'll be fine. Ivory and Sable aren't newbie medics, right?"Farady noticed.

"No, they're not." Dante agreed. "It's just... she keeps falling in trouble from the very beginning of our journey. She almost drowned in the Great Lake in time of storm, because of disease she lost kidney, now this..." The poet sighed deeply. "I should have forced her to stay in Warfang."

"I think it's better that you're here than there. It will be much easier to survive when there's a bigger group of us. If it comes to fight, six dragons and eight dragons are quite a difference." Farady argued.

"I'm not really a type of fighter. Tris was trained by Sable for last several years, but you cannot really count on me." Dante refused.

"Well, I know that two weeks aren't long time, but I can teach you several tricks, basic attack and defense, how about that?" Farady suggested.

"Would you really do that?" Dante asked with surprise. "I mean, we're already troublesome for you and your brother and if you had to..."

"There's no problem at all." The feral dragoness interrupted him. "I'm not going to watch you die just because I haven't taught you how to defend yourself. We can start even today, right after we're done hunting." She offered.

"If that's how it works..." Dante watched her carefully. "Then I see no reason to refuse. I'm thankful for this sacrifice of your time." He agreed.

"I'm looking forward to our first training." Then, Farady smiled meaningfully. "We'd better stop talking or we'll never hunt anything. Our conversation only startles animals." She noticed, though reluctantly.

"Right." Dante agreed, whispering.

"Try to step silently. If you sniff anything tasty, give me sign, no words, just poke me and point direction." The lightning dragoness suggested. Dante nodded. They were walking silently and low on their legs from now, so animals wouldn't notice them too early. They were walking like that for quite long and though it was at first exciting, Dante quickly started feeling boredom. There were several moments when he really wanted to ask his companion how long would they be supposed to do that, but he somehow bore that temptation. They went at the verge of some field. There was small herd of twenty, maybe twenty five deer. Several of them were young, but there were no calves. All animals were standing in quite big distance from them, at least twenty meters, exactly in the middle of the field.

"What's the plan?" Dante whispered very silently. Farady admonished him with sight to be even quieter when some of deer looked in their direction carefully.

"You stay here, I'll sneak on the other side of field, scare them out so some of them will run in your direction. Take down as many of them as you can. Don't move until they run exactly next to you." She explained tersely and disappeared, sneaking around. Dante laid on the ground and waited. All the dear continued grazing. It looked like no animal heard her sneaking around them. The poet had been waiting for some time already, wondering how would Farady provoke deer to run in his direction. Then, he saw her jumping from between trees and shooting lightning, which killed one of those. She started running to them howling madly and all deer started escaping from her, exactly in Dante's direction. Several of them meant to turn left, but Farady shot one of them down and the others gave up on that idea, joining back to their herd. Before they ran into forest, Farady shot another one down with lightning. When first several deer passed by Dante, he shot with earth aiming at dear's head. He hit, maybe not the one he meant, but it still could be count as success. He jumped out of the grass, slashing one deer's throat and side of the other, both of them fell, the one with slashed side lost consciousness, as it hit tree with head. Then, he turned around and saw another deer, right about to run at him. It jumped above him and the poet felt terrible pain in his head. Then, he fell on the ground hardly.

"Oh no." Farady whispered with disbelief seeing that. Her eyes grew wide, she stopped shooting deer down and ran to her companion. "Dante! Dante!" She shouted desperately, but heard no reply. Her heart rate spiked, as in her mind, there started appearing the worst case scenarios. She finally reached the poet, even though because of his green scales she couldn't find him in high grass. Farady sat before him and shook his shoulder. "Dante..." She said silently with scared voice. There was no respond, she couldn't even say, if he was breathing. How could have that happened? It was all her fault, she should have just attack those deer together with him, they would hunt much less, but Dante would be still...

"Farady?" The earth dragon whispered with weak voice. The feral dragoness hugged him strongly, feeling relief filling her heart.

"You're fine!" She said. She was so happy that she lacked words to express it.

"You can stop hugging me." Dante noticed, a little embarrassed. Farady blushed intensively and dropped him gently on the ground. "My head..." The poet hissed painfully as he touched it. "Oh, that was a nasty kick from that deer." He whispered.

"Well..." Farady's cheeks turned even more crimson, if that was even possible. "You see, your scales are green, just like whole this grass and leaves in here, Zheek's are red so I can always see him and..." She started and Dante watched her questioningly, missing her point. "It wasn't deer that hit you, but I meant to shoot the one jumping above you and accidentally... shot you." She explained and hung her head shamefully. She perfectly realized that she could have killed him. After all, the lightning which she used in time of hunt wasn't weak one.

"That's a relief, for a moment I thought that deer really kick that strong." Dante smiled slightly. Seeing that, Farady returned a smile as well. "So, how many deer we have?" He asked curiously.

"Six, I think, one of them is still alive, but unconscious." Farady stood before it and made quick swing of tailblade. "Ok, now we have six." She said, as she wiped the blood out from the tailblade.

"Let's go." Dante tried to stand up, but then, he groaned painfully and fell back on the ground. The poet sighed deeply. "I think I'll stay here for a while." He said. Then, the lightning dragoness laid right next to him, their faces were not more than half a meter away from each other.

"Won't you mind?" She asked.

"No, not at all." Both of them watched the cloudy sky. They could see it quite well even despite trees around them. They started watching clouds, while Dante was trying to regain mobility. After several minutes, he smiled slightly.

"What is it?" Farady watched him curiously.

"I..." Then, he laughed aloud. "No, that's idiotic."

"Come on, just spit it out." Farady encouraged him.

"I've never watched the clouds." He confessed. The feral dragoness raised her head and watched him with disbelief.

"Are you kidding?" She asked with disbelief. The poet shook his head. "When we were younger, I could do that with Zheek for whole hours." Then, she watched the sky carefully. "Look there, it's mushroom!" She pointed some cloud. Dante smiled slightly.

"And here, at the right from mushroom, there's some pear." The poet joined the game.

"For me, it looks more like tree. An oak." Farady disagreed. Dante laughed loudly

"An oak? No, no, no... Not at all." He refused. Two dragons were laying on the grass like that and enjoying their game for an hour or two, before Dante was finally able to stand up and return to their cave with deer, which they hunted.

Vixen and Zheek were walking for already about half an hour in silence. The reason wasn't only fact that they didn't want to warn animals. In fact, the fire breather was simply too shy to talk to her. He couldn't believe that it was happening. He was all alone with Vixen and yet, he had no courage to start conversation. Vixen was enjoying the nature around her, watching it with widely open eyes. After so many weeks, she still couldn't cease feeling happy for retrieving her sight, using this gift so greedily, as if she was scared, if she wouldn't lose it any moment.

"So... What have you been doing in Celeste Tribu?" Zheek asked with voice lacking any confidence. Vixen watched him curiously. Their sights met, but the fire breather turned his eyes away, abashed. The black dragoness smiled cheerfully.

"We've been healing wyverns, since there was a pandemic of some unknown to them disease." Vixen explained, as she raised her head and watched the sky with fascination.

"But you're not a medic, so what are you doing here?" Zheek asked curiously.

"Well, I've spent some time in Celeste Tribu before I came here with dragons and..."

"How long?" The fire breather interrupted him.

"Definitely too long." Vixen avoided the answer. "Anyway, I was sent from their tribe to call dragons." She continued.

"I've heard that when you reached Warfang, you had been seriously wounded, practically half-dead. What happened?" Zheek asked, not realizing his mistake to the very end when Vixen hung her head sadly, but the feral dragon still noticed tear appearing in her eye. In her mind appeared vision of what she'd been put through.

"It's... a long story." She hung her head sadly.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..." Zheek started quickly apologizing.

"That's fine." The black dragoness interrupted him. They walked in silence from now. The fire breather felt terribly now, but didn't know how to start the conversation, so he wouldn't bring her to the tears again. They didn't say anything for some time when finally, Vixen raised her head.

"Well, I told Sable about the situation in Celeste Tribu and had to return there with him, so Sable would be trustful." Vixen, to great relief of Zheek's, grinned cheerfully once again, completely forgetting about what bothered her. "And so, we've spent there... Oh dear... Two months, I think." Vixen finished her explanation.

"It must have been terribly boring, am I wrong?" The fire breather guessed.

"Well, it wasn't so bad." The black dragoness disagreed. "Well, I was..." Then, she watched Zheek carefully. "Won't you tell anyone?" Then, the feral dragon stopped and put his paw on his heart.

"I won't speak a word of it to anyone." He promised. "So, what is it?"

"I was learning singing." Vixen explained and smiled slightly. "Well, I could sing quite well before, but princess Luna helped me improving that." She said.

"Could you show me that?" Zheek pleased.

"Aren't we supposed to hunt?" The black dragoness noticed. "I'll scare all animals."

"If you sing beautifully, you'll rather lure them to come here." The fire breather smiled slightly. Oh, come on, we have whole day." He watched her with begging sight. Vixen sighed deeply and across her lips, there danced grin.

"Fine." She agreed. Two dragons stopped in the place where weren't much trees, so she could move freely. She didn't like standing still while singing, it looked so unnatural. The black dragoness coughed silently and took deep breath. She had never before had spectator who would just sit before her and stare at her.

"So, do you want something serious or rather careless?" She asked.

"I'd prefer something careless." Zheek pleased.

"No problem." Vixen took deep breath again, trying to stop her heart hammering. "So, maybe..." She tried to recall any name of song, but she was so stressed that it was quite a challenge. "Sake of the Song?" She suggested at last. Zheek shrugged.

"Yup, I think that's fine." He confirmed, even though he didn't know that song at all. Vixen closed her eyes and focused, recalling the song. She repeated whole the text in her mind to make sure that she remembered everything. Then, she breathed deeply for last time and managed to lower her heart rate somehow. She smiled slightly to her spectator, stood with her side to Zheek and started singing.

"Could you ever fly without fear of falling?

Does the night bird cease just because it's dawn?" She asked with not really high, but very melodious voice , glaring deeply into his eyes, making slowly steps forward. She watched his irises opening widely and giggled silently. Once she started, she felt so confident.

"Could a candle burn with any less resilience?

Should we never love for the fear that it may fade?" The dragoness spun quickly so she rapidly appeared several meters behind place when she had been just a second earlier. She turned directly at Zheek, there came short pause before chorus. She was so majestic in her dance, so beautiful...

"Round and round, we all go!" The dragoness looked around in rhythm of melody.

"When we stop nobody knows!" Vixen grinned cheerfully.

"Paradise on the earth,

For the sake of the song!" She was singing this part watching the sky with joy. Then, she spun gracefully and yet so fast that if she wanted, she could grasp her own tail.

"Could you ever be just for the sake of being?

Could the melody ever be wrong?" Her and Zheek's sights met. For a second, they looked deeply into each other's eyes. And then, the fire breather already knew it. Even, if he ever doubted about it, all these doubts disappeared in that very moment. He loved her. He loved her beautiful body, deep, green eyes. He loved her voice, so melodious, bewitching. He loved her character, so careless, cheerful and childish, not polluted with any bitterness. He loved everything about her. And he could see her sorrow, hidden so deeply in those deep green eyes. He promised himself that he would do everything so that sadness would be replaced by joy, so anything bothered her, would disappear. He promised himself that he'd bring the most of happiness in her life he could.

"Could you ever sing just for the sing for the sake of singing?" Vixen sang carelessly, completely forgetting about the world around her.

"Set your spirit free for..." Then, Zheek jumped to her and turned her over. The black dragoness squeaked silently, as their two rolled, ending up in long grass between the trees, Zheek was laying on the little dragoness, their faces were just centimeters from each other. The black dragoness had no idea what was going on. Her heart started hammering, she could hear his heart rate spiking as well. She knew something was wrong. Very wrong. Vixen wanted to argue, to say something, when he placed finger on her lips. Zheek looked deeply into her fearful eyes. If she wanted, she could try to release herself, she'd most likely even succeed, if doing so by surprise. And yet, she gave up on doing anything, she showed that she was absolutely submissive to him. Something in back of her head told her not to try anything.

"Just don't move." He pleased. His words didn't calm her down at all. "Trust me." Zheek whispered to her silently. Vixen noticed that he was speaking with hissing wyvern accent. The black dragoness nodded compliantly. She didn't dare to argue.

"Who's there?!" Both dragons heard some voice. It was a wyvern speaking in his native language.

"It's just me!" Zheek replied in wyvern language as well. Vixen realized that he only meant to hide her and himself from that intruder so he wouldn't recognize that they're dragons. He must have smelled him.

"Oh, thanks ancestors, for a second I could swear it was dragon." The wyvern stopped just ten or less meters from them. "Did you hear that singing?" He asked.

"What singing?" Zheek asked, making up a complete surprise.

"I've heard some female singing, so I came here to check out who was that. Didn't you hear it?" The soldier asked, dumbstruck.

"What are you talking about?" Zheek asked slowly, as if he spoke with an idiot. He heard this voice so many times while talking with his sister, he could finally make some use of it.

"Just..." The soldier sighed, confused. "Just never mind. Oh, dear, I think we should really slow down. But no, why should we, prince Oscuro knows it better! And we keep pushing forward with maximum speed for hours already! Thanks ancestors I somehow managed to separate from my squad somehow, I can at least have a breather."

"True, true." Zheek confirmed.

"So, what are you doing here?" The soldier asked curiously.

"I swear, can't I have some privacy for at least five minutes?! Five minutes!" Zheek shouted madly, his accent didn't fade at all even despite that.

"Sorry, sorry. I understand. I'm already going." The soldier said with apologizing voice. "Just make sure you'll join your squad before the night, your captain won't be happy, if you don't." The wyvern warned. He waited for reply, but heard none. "I'm going, see you." Then, wyvern took off and started flying above the line of trees. Zheek quickly got off Vixen and laid right next to her.

"Sorry for that, I just preferred not risking any movement." The fire breather explained himself whispering with his normal, lisping a little voice. He was blushing intensively.

"No problem." The black dragoness smiled slightly with relief. "Let's stay here for a moment. Just in the case." She suggested.

"Yup, good idea." The feral dragon agreed. Both of them were laying silently in high grass, listening carefully, if wouldn't any other wyvern come. Every second in that tension seemed for both of them to be eternity. And so, there passed like that ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Finally, Vixen, after making sure once more that there was no one around, interrupted silence.

"Privacy? What did you mean back then?" The black dragoness asked curiously. Then, Zheek only shrugged.

"And how can I know what he thought? I had to finish this quickly, so I did." The fire breather explained. Vixen giggled silently.

"Maybe we should give up on hunting and head back straight to your home?" She suggested.

"Yup. But very silently." Zheek agreed. Two dragons stood up and very silently sneaked to their cave, as careful, as they could only be.


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32. "Between allies"

Zheek and Vixen finally reached the cave. There they were greeted by tasty aroma of roasted meet. They entered it and the very first dragon they saw was Farady, grinning.

"Oh, the hunting's successful as always, as I see?" She noticed maliciously. "Well, I and Dante hunted several deer, so since you must be starving..."

"Just save it, we're in trouble." Zheek interrupted. Normally, his sister wouldn't give up so easily, but she realized that he was deadly serious. Three dragons walked in silence and entered to the room where were laying Tris and Viola. There was already Ivory, healing Viola, and Dante talking with Tris.

"Where's Sable?" Vixen asked.

"Right here." The lightning dragon appeared behind her and entered the room. "What's going on?" He perfectly knew that there was something serious, he simply knew the black dragoness too well. Seven dragons sat in the circle, only still unconscious Viola remained in her bed.

"So, what have happened?" Dante asked.

"In time of hunting, we fell on some wyvern. A soldier." Vixen explained. Everyone watched her with disbelief. They knew that wyverns would look for them. But so early and already so close?

"Did you kill him?" Sable asked. Zheek shook his head, hitting with his horns Vixen right in her forehead.

"Ouch!" She hissed angrily.

"Sorry." The fire breather apologized quickly.

"Moron." Farady whispered silently, so almost no one heard that. Only six dragons.

"No we didn't kill him, but he didn't even realize that we were dragons. We hid in bushes and I spoke with him using their accent, so he was sure that I was a wyvern as well." Zheek explained. Sable sighed with relief.

"Good job. So, did you get any information from him?" The lightning dragon asked.

"The wyverns are pushing forward very quickly. It looks like they just passed by us, expecting us much farther." Vixen explained. "That one we met had been catching up with his squad."

"They've passed by us?" Ivory repeated, smiling slightly. "This couldn't be better."

"It works well for us, if me manage to use this advantage soon enough." Sable said, smiling slightly. He couldn't expect their situation to be that good. "Now, they'll be splitting up, making bigger and bigger gaps. They'll start returning to Celeste Tribu in about two weeks, as they realize that they must have left us behind. Once we heal Viola well enough to transport her, we'll head east. With little doze of luck, we'll slip between wyverns and even if we don't, they'll be separated in small searching squads, no serious danger to us. And once we pass by the line of wyverns, we're safe." Sable explained his plan.

"Are you sure it's going to work?" Dante asked doubtfully.

"Only if they're careless enough." Sable confessed, not as enthusiastic, as just a moment earlier. "But we'll wait here anyway, so from now we'll have to be more careful about any leaving this cave and before we depart, we'll have to make sure that there are no soldiers around." The lightning dragon explained.

"Could Verdad be really that reckless to search only far away?" Vixen asked curiously.

"I don't know. Since I knew him, there passed already fifteen years. He could have become either more reckless, or more careful." Sable explained.

"So, from now, we're going to spend in this cave as much time, as we can, leaving only when necessary. We'll wait until we can move and see what to do then." Dante summed up.

"Exactly." Vixen confirmed sadly. She really didn't like the idea of remaining in some dark cave for whole days. But how could she help it?

Leal was returning to her apartment using her own secret passage when one of torches went out. The princess sighed deeply watching it with annoyance. She would have to return there and set the fire for herself once more. She would never let any servant there, she didn't want anyone to know about it, even her own mate. It leaded to some unused corridors near both Throne Hall and Core, which worked for her just perfect. Leal opened door and entered her private room. It wasn't very sophisticated, there were two wooden wardrobes and one chest, even all of those beautifully ornamented. Right next to her, at the side, there was a granite stand for her sword. At the opposite side, there was desk, all covered in documents and notes. At its corner were placed pen and inkwell. Before it, there was a low sofa, so she could lay while writing or reading something. She hated doing paper work sitting. Oscuro who was laying on it in that very moment and reading some of his documents, apparently didn't either. Leal watched him with disbelief.

"What are you doing here? You broke in." She was mad at that insolent prince who didn't even take his sword, prince's attribute, with himself. Her paw involuntarily grasped hilt of her sword. Oscuro just smiled slightly.

"I'm having an audience with you. Your guards said that you were in your apartment for whole this time. In fact, it's hard to break into someone's house when that person is in there." The prince noticed. Leal cursed silently. The guards couldn't know that she was out. In fact, no one could and neither was supposed to. Then how did Oscuro realize that? She wouldn't believe he was lucky.

"You've set quite a lot of spies in city, haven't you?" The wyverness noticed angrily.

"No, not really, to be honest, I was just very lucky with few spies." The prince confessed, as he stood up and put some sheet of paper on desk. "You have very interesting plans, Leal." He pointed at the map laying at the desk.

"Those are none of your business." The princess said coldly.

"I disagree. Plans of sending the soldiers after Sable are definitely mine business. Especially when I am in charge of the most of those troops you've just told king to send." Oscuro drawled, done with hiding his annoyance under mask of cheerfulness. "I keep missing the point of your actions. You were the one to suggest bringing Sable here. What are you trying to achieve with those actions?"

"It wasn't just mine idea. You suggested, or rather blackmailed the king to send Vixen there." Leal refused.

"But still, the main idea came from you. You knew what would happen and yet didn't warn him. On the other side, you told Syrius to help Sable."

"How do you know that?" The princess asked with disbelief.

"You don't refuse." Oscuro noticed, smiling slightly. "Setting fire in his house was a clever idea, I doubt, if Syrius would come up with that. Besides, he wouldn't manage to kill two Sombras for himself. But I digress." The prince was enjoying his every word. "You helped Ivory's group only to tell Clavius where would they go. But later, you agreed to my plan. In fact, you supported me even though you perfectly realized that it wouldn't end up catching them. And now you send my troops to the area, which I've left unchecked. Not many enough to find them, but still, too much for them to sneak away from Celeste." He watched her curiously. "What do you want to achieve?" He didn't ask but demanded answer.

"Female is flighty." Leal smiled, not wanting to tell him anything more.

"And why do you want death of those dragons?" Oscuro watched her carefully. "I thought you've cared about Sable."

"It's a long story." The princess didn't answer again.

"I don't mean Sable's company, but those two from Warfang." Oscuro clarified his previous words, pointing some note where she mentioned about it. "They have nothing to do with this situation and yet you ordered to get rid of them. Are you… envy?" The prince asked with something like amusement.

"What are you talking about?" Leal hissed those words.

"You love Sable and don't you dare refusing it. I can see love in your eyes every time I say his name and anger every time I mention Viola." Oscuro explained himself. Watching her carefully, he perfectly knew that he hit a point.

"Curiosity is important, Oscuro, but sometimes, it may be the first step to death. Stop digging and give up when you still have a chance." The princess was grasping hilt of her sword meaningfully.

"Lack of respect may kill you even faster, Leal." He watched her with amusement. "Do you really threat me? You wouldn't be able to kill me even right now when I'm completely defenseless."

"Oh, really?" The princess grinned ominously. She was very good fencer, maybe even one of the best ones in Celeste, at least in her opinion. All the time she wasn't busy with policy she'd spend training.

"Really. If you want, come and try." Oscuro suggested. He didn't have to repeat himself. Leal jumped to him and slashed with sword vertically. The prince stepped aside, avoiding her sword for centimeters, caught its hilt with one paw and hit her chest powerfully with other. All the air left wyverness's lungs all at once, as she fell on the ground, breathless. Her sword remained in Oscuro's paw, who was standing above her. The wyvern watched her, smiling slightly.

"Remember about humility, Leal. The royal blood doesn't flow in your veins. Stop playing your games, cut them off. You're not the queen yet so behave with respect to the royal blood or the next time consequences may appear to be death." The prince thrown her sword in corner of room and bowed, smiling slightly.

"Talking with you has been real pleasure, I'm glad that you've explained me all the ambiguities I had." He said to still laying dragoness. "Goodbye." After those words, he turned around and left Leal's apartment. She had to agree that this time, Oscuro won.

At the evening, Sable was sitting on the floor of the cave, grasping paw of his unconscious mate. Besides them, there was no one, even Tris left, since she could at last walk normally. The lightning dragon was watching lovingly Viola, preying in his mind that she would wake up soon. It was so ironic; Viola was fighting for her life in almost this same circumstances as when she lost mother. Sable didn't say anything, but enjoyed in the silence her every breath. He was scared about her, doubtful, if she'd be fine. He wanted to believe and yet he knew that the longer they remained here, the lesser chance to escape they had. The lightning dragon heard some steps and jerked his head curiously to see some fire breather entering.

"Have you seen Tris?" Zheek asked curiously.

"No. Come here, sit down." The lightning dragon suggested.

"No, I don't want to inter..." The feral dragon tried to refuse.

"We need to talk." Sable interrupted him and sat at the free bed. Zheek sighed deeply, seeing no point in arguing and sat next to him. "So, I'm holding grudge against you and you do as well against me. Let's not behave like hatchlings and just tell each other what's on our minds. Who knows, maybe we'll even start getting along somehow." The lightning dragon said his last sentence doubtfully.

"Yeah, I'll try." Zheek agreed with him and Sable nodded slightly. He turned his head at the lightning dragon who barely managed to avoid his horns.

"Watch out." Sable said with annoyance.

"I'm sorry." The fire breather apologized quickly. "Anyway, my reason is this: you were Vengantimo, member of organization, which shed blood of dragons. Your companions killed Flush, the dragon who I owe life. For almost whole your life you were a wyvern and I don't like them either. And so, an idea of calling you dragon is as for me... repulsive." He explained.

"And what do I have to do so you'll start finding me dragon?" The former Vengantimo asked curiously.

"No idea, to be honest. As for me, you'll always remain this wyvern scum." Sable sighed deeply and shook his head hearing that.

"I hate racists." Sable confessed. "Dragon scum, wyvern scum... what's the difference? Does fact that you're a dragon make you any better than wyverns?" He asked rhetorically. "If you believe so, then I won't make any excuse for calling you a feral dragon."

"I'm not feral, but free." Zheek hissed angrily. "That's a difference." He could feel his blood boiling. He hated being called feral.

"Free from what?" Sable asked, not even expecting answer, which, in fact, he didn't hear anyway. "Is this life what you call freedom? Hiding in caves in the middle of nowhere, all the time escaping from wyverns, lacking point in your life, eating and breeding. You say you're free. From what? From city, civilization? Do you mean education or professional medicine? Or maybe guardians? Don't you find passing days one after another just empty life?"

"No, I don't. I haven't come here accidentally, there is a purpose, which I want to achieve. And besides, I don't need a city, neither guardians. Where was professional medicine, where were your guardians when my parents were dying?" Zheek asked angrily.

"You're missing the point. The guardians can't protect every dragon from death. There are only four of them." Sable disagreed. "They don't have such power to appear at the end of world just like that and help you. No one has."

"Then what are they for?!" The fire breather noticed. "Why do they claim to be guardians of our kind when so many dragons keep suffering!"

"Quieter." He was admonished by the lightning user.

"Sorry." Zheek apologized silently. "If they really were guardians, they would be able to protect their kind. If they can't, they have no right to exist. Well, I've never felt obligated to respect them, especially not after my parents' death." He continued his saying.

"It's utopia, an impossible dream. You abandon all the advantages of cities just because of your pride as so called free dragon." Sable said. "Are you so proud of the fact that you're separated from the rest of dragon society? What can you see in this loneliness? Don't you have any family to go to?" The lightning dragon asked.

"No, I don't." Zheek refused.

"Then why don't you just join the city when your two have no one here?" Sable suggested.

"Because I'm free." The fire breather explained. Sable sighed deeply. He knew that he wouldn't persuade him at that point.

"Besides, give up on Vixen." The lightning dragon advised him. Zheek watched him with disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" He asked doubtfully.

"You're fond of her and I suggest you just to quit it." Sable explained with such a voice as if he was explaining idiot something obvious.

"Why?" The free dragon asked, very upset. He didn't even try to refuse his feelings, after all, there was no reason to do so.

"You're not her type. She may treat you as a good, funny friend, but definitely not a lover. You're just wasting your time and if you do something stupid, you'll ruin all that you managed to achieve." The lightning dragon warned him.

"As if I cared about your opinion. It's only between me and her, don't think that you can do anything about it." Zheek sighed deeply and stood up. "Looks like we're not getting pretty along, are we?"

"No, we're not." Sable agreed. "But I'm glad that we've explained everything to each other. Now we at least know why we hate each other." The fire breather smiled slightly with irony.

"True." He headed to exit and was just about to leave.

"Zheek?" The lightning dragon called him once more.

"Huh?" Zheek jerked his head curiously.

"I don't like you, but still, I would appear to be an ungrateful cad, if I didn't tell it to you. Thank you. I guess that everyone had already told it you and your sister, but if not you, I don't believe, if we'd make it this far." Sable thanked. The fire breather watched him with respect. He had heard it from everyone else already, but still he really appreciated those words from Sable, since those two couldn't stand each other at all.

"We did what we had to do. I will not leave any dragon on his own. Not in this forest." Zheek explained and left.

The situation changed in the next two weeks. Near their hideout, there were appearing some wyverns sometimes, which only complicated their situation. It looked like wyverns started looking for them in the places, which they've previously passed by. The dragons spent the most of that time in the cave. Tris was already feeling much better, she could normally walk and fly, so she would watch for whole days Farady learning Dante fighting. The lightning dragoness didn't really like the spectator, but she could not really help it, after all. Keezheekoni would be making fun of her, if only his and Vixen's relationship was at least a step farther. In fact, they were getting along very well, but the black dragoness didn't treat him as someone more important, just another friend, like Ivory or Tris. In this time, you could say she was avoiding Sable, being very cheerful to him and all, but… it felt as if something was wrong. Ivory and Sable spent the most of time healing Viola as much as they could and checking Tris's state, the white dragoness was also studying Lian's diary and Sable started training using his father's sword. It wasn't easy to him, he had got used to much lighter, one-hand swords, like his katanas, but crimson blade of his father was his legacy. Sable found it kind of responsibility to learn using it, even if just a little. Who knows, maybe he'd have to use it soon? Viola's state finally started getting better, after a week nothing endangered her life. But still, she was weak and any journey could have devastating influence to her body, so the dragons waited. Two weeks passed.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33. "My greatest secret"

It was middle of night. Vixen stood up, left her room and headed to the entrance. For all the time, she was watching carefully beautiful waterfall hiding it, beautifully lighted by moonlight. She ran to there, her steps echoed in long cave. She didn't move with any grace, just pushed forward, as if she desperately wanted to get out of there. The dragoness passed by waterfall and left the cave quickly. She laid outside, at the field just several meters from waterfall. She was so sleepy that she didn't even notice that Zheek had been following her. The fire breather appeared right behind her.

"It's dangerous to be outside in the night. And you may get wet, if it starts to rain." He warned her, watching the black dragoness curiously.

"Zheek? I thought you were sleeping." Vixen noticed, surprised.

"I thought you were as well." Zheek replied. "Let's come inside." He suggested.

"I'd prefer to stay here. You can lay by me, if you want." The dragoness offered. She didn't have to repeat herself. Zheek laid on the ground right next to her in silence. He followed her sight. She was watching stars.

"What are you doing here?" He asked curiously.

"I..." The black dragoness sighed deeply. "I'm scared of darkness. I can't sleep when it's dark." She confessed.

"No..." Zheek said with disbelief. It was characteristic for hatchlings to fear shadows. But her, mature dragoness? "Are you serious?" He asked doubtfully, sure that it was only cheap excuse.

"Yes, I am." Vixen agreed with a gentle hint of annoyance.

"Oh, I see." The fire breather realized that he had done a mistake. "Why is that so?" He wanted to know the reason so he could cheer her up, maybe even help her heal her phobia.

"It's a long story." The black dragoness avoided answering.

"I have nothing, but time." The fire breather smiled warmly and little dragoness sighed deeply.

"Just promise me that as long, as I'm here with other dragons, you won't tell anyone a word of it." She pleased.

"As long as you're with us? What do you mean?" Zheek watched her doubtfully.

"Just promise." Vixen repeated herself.

"I promise." The fire breather agreed, though he gave up on his question very reluctantly.

"It all started about five years ago. I was travelling to the north and meant to pass by terrain of Celeste Tribu. But then, I was attacked, caught and blinded by wyvern calling himself Principe."

"Principe? Prince?" Zheek asked with disbelief. "The member of royal family?" The black dragoness nodded slightly. "Was it Oscuro?" He guessed.

"No." Vixen refused. "His name is... "She stopped for a while, as fear paralyzed her, just thinking of him. "Clavius." She confessed. "He took me to Celeste Tribu five years ago and imprisoned, treating me as if I was the worst scum of this world. For five years, every free moment he had, he spent torturing me. He would tie me to that cold, stone table and give me pain, stab, slash, use sophisticated poisons. He had no point other than his own pleasure in that." In her eyes, there were already tears. "He said that as long I spoke something he didn't know yet, he wouldn't hurt me. At first, I resisted, but it only ended up with even greater pain. It took him quite long to break my will, but once he did..." Her voice trailed off.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to tell it." Zheek could see that it wasn't easy for her.

"No, I have to tell it someone. Once he broke my will, I told him everything I knew. Absolutely everything, even my most intimate secrets, things, which I've never told anyone. My true name. My name from times when I was a wyverness. Not even Sable knows it, but Clavius does. Sometimes, Principe would go too far in his tortures, he'd damage my body or mind in such a way that he'd bring them to the critical state. Then, I could rest for some time. Week, sometimes two or even three. I guess. Closed in one place underground, I couldn't count the days passing by." Zheek wiped out the tear, which appeared at her eye and the black dragoness thanked silently. "I loved sleeping. In dreams, there was no pain, but only joy. I could see, I could fly. I was free. For at least those several hours a day. This horror lasted for, as I later learnt, five years. Then, there started pandemic. Oscuro forced king to send me as envoy to Warfang, so I could bring Sable here. The wyverns healed most of my wounds and sent me to the south. Just several kilometers from Warfang, Clavius caught up with me. There, he tortured me for the last time. Next, I reached Warfang. You know the rest." Zheek watched her with disbelief. At first, he had expected some story from her childhood, how she fell down the stairs in darkness, or something like that... He didn't know what to say.

"Do you remember when two weeks ago we fell on that wyvern? When I jumped at you, you were so scared. But you didn't even try to release yourself, to do anything." He asked about something that had been bothering him for last two weeks.

"When you fell on me, I was really scared, it's true. For a moment, I even thought that you meant to rape me or something..." The black dragoness confessed.

"Me... I...I wouldn't..." Zheek stuttered, ashamed.

"Now I know it. But I didn't know you back then, I didn't know what to expect from you. And yet, I didn't oppose because... " Vixen sighed deeply. "As long as I was submissive, Principe didn't hurt me too painfully. If I refused... I was scared that it would hurt more." She explained sadly. "And speaking of sleeping outside... I am scared of darkness, because I was living surrounded by it for last five years. I love to see. Sight... It's such beautiful gift. I want to enjoy it, I don't want to lose it and..." Her voice trembled and she started crying. Zheek hugged her friendly. She didn't oppose. In fact, she really needed it.

"You have it and no one will take it away from you. Ever." The fire breather whispered. "I promise that I will protect you, no matter what will happen."

"I..." Vixen was so touched that she didn't know what to say. "Thank you. I really appreciate it." She confessed, even though she knew that he wouldn't be able to keep this promise. After Crag's death, she felt so alone. As if in the whole world, she had no one.

"Sable's close to you, isn't he?" The fire breather guessed.

"Like a brother." Vixen agreed.

"Why are you avoiding him then? Well, I may not be a genius, but there's obviously something wrong between you two." Zheek watched her carefully.

"Sable is very scared about Viola, crushed after Crag's death." Vixen said, but from her companion's sight she could read that he expected to hear the whole truth, not only some obvious facts and excuses. "And I..." The black dragoness stopped for several seconds, doubting if she should tell her secret. "I did something terrible to him. To all the dragons here. They may not realize it yet, but... But after what I've done, I shouldn't behave as if everything was fine." The black dragoness sighed sadly and cursed silently, as another tear left her eye. She didn't want to cry in front of him. "I..."

"Just don't think about it." Zheek suggested. "Let's sleep."

"How can I not think about it?! We... This all..." She refused, shouting.

"I'm simple dragon, so I'll say it simple way. Crying now, you won't change a thing, only bring yourself closer to depression. And if you sleep now, you won't have to think about it anymore. For at least several hours." He suggested. Vixen smiled slightly.

"You're right." She agreed.

"And tell Sable truth." Zheek advised.

"No, it's already too late for truth. Far too late. Goodnight, Zheek." Vixen whispered, laid her head on the ground and closed eyes. "Stay with me this night." She begged. "I don't want to be alone."

"You're not alone." Zheek whispered. "You've never been." Two dragons were laying on the grassy field, lit by subtle moonlight. They were carried off to sleep by gentle noises of night forest, completely forgetting about all their problems.

The next day, something had changed in Sable's behavior. It looked like he was nervous or seriously bothered by something that no one else could explain. Well, Viola most likely would be able to, but she was still unconscious. Luckily, as the medics assured, waking up of the ice dragoness was matter of days or maybe even hours. Still, the lightning dragon was seriously disturbed by something and no one asked him about it, since he didn't look like he was in mood for confessions. That day passed largely in wondering what was on Sable's mind, as for his companions. Sable himself went for hunting alone, where he spent half of day, and the rest of day he spent by Viola's side, lost in his thoughts. It was already evening when two dragonesses were sitting outside, right before the waterfall and talking.

"So, why are you scared of small spaces?" Vixen asked curiously.

"Well, it happened when I was just two. My father had a great chest. It was made of thick, dark wood, shod with metal stripes, pretty hard thing, it was wasting quite much of space of our house, so my parents were planning to get rid of it. Once, in the night when my parents were already sleeping, I left my bed and watched this wide open chest carefully. Not thinking much, I jumped on the table, from it at the chest. Well, once I landed, I slipped, fell inside and the lid fell, closing it." Then, Vixen laughed silently, imagining that.

"That wasn't pleasant, was it?" The black dragoness guessed.

"You have no idea." Tris agreed. "Anyway, I was closed inside that chest, I couldn't even get to its top, not speaking of lifting the cover. I was shouting and scraping the chest for several hours when I felt tired and fell asleep."

"And parents found you the next morning?" Vixen guessed.

"I'd be so happy if they did..." Tris sighed, smiling. "At the very sunrise, there came dragon who wanted to buy that chest from my parents. They were woken up by his knocking at the door, so they were in quite hurry, they locked the chest and gave it to the customer who left city that same morning. I was woken up by storm. An intensive one. And the chest wasn't rain-tight, it had several little gaps, because of which I've got terribly wet. Anyway, I started shouting again, but no one released me since in that heavy rain they couldn't hear me. And so, there passed another night. I was found next morning, when it already stopped raining. You can imagine yourself surprise of group of dragons when they opened chest and found crying, hungry and thirsty little hatchling." Tris smiled, as she recalled that.

"Yeah, that's rather an unusual sight." Vixen agreed. "So they took you back home, as I guess?"

"Yeah. My parents were so happy to see me. I have no idea how scared they were when they realized that I was gone. Well, since then, I really dislike small spaces." She said, smiling.

"Just make sure that your child won't do exactly this same." Vixen suggested. Two dragonesses laughed silently.

"I'll try to. The step one: no big and empty chests in my house." She declared. Then, behind them, there appeared Sable. Two dragoness jerked their heads curiously at him. He was wearing on his back both his katanas, he obviously wasn't in mood for jokes.

"Vixen, let's go hunting." The lightning dragon suggested. His voice wasn't warm, but it wasn't either harsh. It couldn't be called demanding, but it was hard to refuse it.

"Zheek and Dante are hunting right now, so there's no need..." Tris tried to refuse, not realizing what Sable really meant.

"Vixen, let's go." Sable repeated harshly and headed into the forest not waiting for her. Vixen's heart rate spiked. He knew it. He knew the truth. The black dragoness was sure about that. Tris watched her carefully, not understanding what was going on.

"Ok, I'm going." Vixen said and ran, catching up with slowly walking dragon. Both of them disappeared quickly in dense forest leaving dumbstruck Tris. They were walking in silence for some time. Every second lasted unbearably long for Vixen, she could swear that they were walking like that for eternity. There could be felt tension between them. It was obvious for little dragoness that something was just about to happen. Two dragons stopped once they entered something like field, there was only one great tree in diameter of about ten meters. Sable stood two meters before Vixen and watched her carefully.

"I need to talk you very seriously." He started. "I want you to tell me something about our sojourn in Celeste Tribu."

"What is it?" Vixen asked silently, though she knew that he had already figured that out. She simply could feel his anger, still being controlled, but not for long.

"We've come here basing only on your declaration that the wyverns had no bad intends to us. Did you know what was going to happen?" He asked. The black dragoness hung her head sadly avoiding his sight. She didn't answer. "Did you?" Sable repeated himself, this time, there could be heard anger in his voice. He knew the answer, but in the back of his mind, he begged she'd say refuse. Even if he knew she wouldn't.

"Yes." Vixen muttered silently.

"Could you repeat?" He meant to please, but his voice sounded far too demanding. She had said it so silently that he simply didn't hear that.

"Yes, I did know." The black dragoness agreed."But it's not like I've sold you to him, I simply… simply…" She watched deeply in his eyes. She could see how his eyes were turning from orange to light red. She heard that was effect of his higher heart rate when more blood would flow into veins covering his irises, causing those turn red. Those veins, normally giving his irises orange color, were effect of amateur finishing his mutation, which now, in crimson light of setting sun was making fearful effect.

"So, do you have any explanation to that? Something that would justify this?" The former Vengantimo asked coldly, from his voice Vixen could read that he was barely stopping himself from shouting at her.

"I... Last five years I've spent tortured by Clavius." She confessed and expected to see any change in his expression, but noticed none. "He knew that I realized their plans, so he tortured me as long, until I would promise that I wouldn't tell anyone about it, keep the status quo. If I didn't he'd get me and... and..." In Vixen's eyes, there appeared tears, as she started stuttering, losing control on her own body. But Sable didn't pity her, despite perfectly realizing how much she suffered.

"And you trusted him?" Sable asked with disbelief. His fist clenched in anger.

"I..." Vixen stuttered, as she stepped back fearfully. "Principe was..."

"You chose to believe not in us that we'll protect you, but in him that he'll get you?! You decided to trust not your friends, but enemies?" Sable shouted madly. Vixen was already crying.

"I wanted to tell you." She whispered with voice lacking any confidence.

"You wanted to tell me when?! Once I'd be laying in the puddle of my own blood, bleeding to death?!" Sable asked even more vexed with Vixen's words. The little dragoness hung her head sadly. "Look into my eyes." Sable ordered demandingly, hissing the last letter. Vixen didn't react. She was simply too scared to look at him again. Then she blenched, as she heard lightning hitting the tree right behind her, making loud, sudden noise.

"Look at me." Sable ordered once more. Vixen raised her head slowly and after several seconds, their eyes met. She had never before seen him that strict, harsh. He always was this happy guy to laugh with her or support her. But he was… So hateful. She couldn't face those bloody crimson eyes. "Don't you have anything... Any excuse for this what you've done?!" The lightning dragon demanded answer.

"I...was scared." Vixen stuttered silently. That was her only explanation. She perfectly realized how pathetically it sounded.

"Scared?!" Is that really the only reason? " Sable couldn't believe her words at first. "You've betrayed us only because of fear?" Then, to Vixen's surprise, in his dark red eyes, there appeared simple tear. "I really believed in you!" Sable kept screaming at her, not lowering his voice for even a second. "I entrusted lives of all our companions to you! Only to you, no one else, but you, Vixen! And your only reason was fear?!" The black dragoness turn her sight away, trying to stop tears.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry." She whispered, not even trying to explain herself.

"So what?" Sable asked coldly. Vixen realized that she had just killed their bond. "I'm sorry." He repeated with disdain and snorted scornfully. "Those are just words. Just empty words. Do those two words change anything? Will those bring Crag back or heal Viola? Will those words miraculously teleport us to Warfang?! Will they revive all those wyverns that we were forced to kill when we escaped?!" Sable started asking. He didn't even consider an idea of forgiving her. It was too late. Far too late.

"No, they won't." Vixen agreed submissively.

"They will neither wash off whole this blood which was shed from your paws. This blood will remain on your talons to the very last day of your existence." Former Cuarto said coldly. "It would be fine, if you at least warned me when we still had time to escape. Then, I would forgive you without any doubts, just like that. I'd understand, even if hardly. But now..." He sighed deeply. "Just get lost. I used to find you my friend, treated, as if you were my sister, but now I don't want to know you anymore. Now I see that you're nothing like her. You're nothing like Sonrisa, even if I found your two so similar. Leave. To the dragon city, turn yourself into wyverness once more or become exile. I don't care. I don't care anymore, traitor. I only want to see you never more in my entire life. Little serpent tongue." Sable watched her angrily, but Vixen didn't escape, she didn't even step back. Something cracked in her, as she stepped forward.

"Sable..." She hung her head sadly. "I..."

"Get lost." The lightning dragon ordered coldly.

"No." She disagreed with determination, and enclosed to Sable for several steps more. She was just two meters from him now. She meant to walk even closer to him when Sable drawn his katana and slashed the air before himself blindly. The black dragoness leaned her head back involuntarily and jumped away, scared. Her eyes grew wide, as she touched her neck with paw and felt blood covering it. It was just scratch, but if she hadn't moved...

"Get lost." Sable repeated himself hatefully. He straightened his sword towards her so its point was just several centimeters from Vixen's throat. "I don't want to see you ever more." The lightning dragon hissed angrily as he realized that she didn't mean to leave. "I count five." He warned.

"And then I'll step forward. Come on, just kill me." Vixen suggested, no more scared of death. Without her friends, she had no point to live. The lightning dragon exactly knew what she meant. She wanted to force him to choose between forgiving her and killing her.

"One." Sable counted, watching deeply into her eyes with hatred. "I'm not joking." He warned her.

"I know you don't. Just say five, let your sword pierce my heart, if that's what you wish for. If that will comfort you." The black dragoness was deadly serious about her words. "Two. I deserve it, after all." She whispered before former Vengantimo managed to do say the number.

"Don't escape from your shame, you coward. Bear its burden, carry it throughout your life." Sable argued, as his blood was boiling because of her stubbornness. "Death is not a solution to any problem. Three." Vixen stood still, she didn't wipe out tears flowing down her cheeks.

"It's so easy for you to say now! And what you meant to do five years ago?! You wanted to die, because you had nothing left to live for like me now!" All her vision was blurred by the waterfall of tears. "Just finish this! Four!" She shouted, begging.

"I wanted to die to protect Viola, not because of my burden." He refused. "Your death won't change anything and mine would." Vixen's eyes grew wide and Sable realized that he hit a point. "Death won't bring you redemption, only life will do it. Maybe one day. Give yourself this little chance. Don't commit this same mistake as Syrius." He wanted to say five, but Vixen stepped back and turned around in that very moment. In that moment, she understood that he was right. In her mind, there appeared a plan.

"So, I'll just leave, won't I?" She asked and hung her head sadly. She slowly headed to the forest, not looking at her friend. "I guess it's the best solution for both of us." She admitted. She realized, how Sable would feel, if he had killed her. She knew that he would do it, if only she stood still. There are things that just can't been forgiven.

"Yes, it is." The lightning dragon agreed. Vixen was about to disappear in shadows of forest when she jerked her head and caught sight of Sable sadly.

"It's been honor and pleasure to have someone like you as friend. Someone who had impossible dream and yet, made it come true." She whispered with sorrow.

"Yes, it's been pleasure to know a person like you." Sable agreed. After all those years, he couldn't refuse to that. Hearing those words, Vixen jumped between dark trees and quickly disappeared in its shadows. Forever.


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34. "From hatred to love"

When Sable returned to the cave, Zheek was waiting for him, or rather for Vixen, at the very entrance. The lightning dragon just passed by him, ignoring him completely. Everyone would easily notice that talking to him in that state wasn't good idea. The gloomy, angry aura was literally flowing from Sable and no one could miss it. No one expect Keezheekoni, of course. The fire breather called him right after the medic passed by him without even narrowing at him.

"Hey, wyvern, where's Vixen?" Zheek would sometimes call Sable wyvern, just like Sable would always call him feral. It was annoying, but normally, it wouldn't vex Sable really, both of them had already got used to that. But at that moment, lightning dragon's mood could be described with many words, but definitely not "normally".

"She's gone." Sable watched the fire breather angrily with still red eyes. That specific color wouldn't disappear for next several hours. And together with his dark, angry voice, Sable looked really ominously. Zheek watched him with disbelief. He expected the worst case scenario.

"You mean you've..." He stuttered, shocked.

"No, she's alive. I only told her to get lost." Sable explained. Then, fire breather's eyes grew wide. He recalled his conversation with Vixen from earlier. "As long as I'm here with other dragons." Those were Vixen's words. She had predicted that it would have happened.

"Why would you do such a thing, wyvern?!" Zheek shouted madly.

"None of your business, feral." Sable started walking away, deeper into the cave.

"Stop, Sable! What's going on?!" The fire breather demanded answer. The medic stopped, sighed deeply and turned around. "Why did you do that?!" He asked angrily.

"Because she perfectly realized that wyverns would attack us, but didn't mention about it because of Clavius's order." Sable explained and his blood boiled once he only thought about that. All four other dragons: Ivory, Tris, Dante, Farady who heard their argument, were watching two males stealthily.

"But... For whole five years, Clavius has been torturing her!" Zheek shouted. The medic gave him cold, angry sight. He guessed that Vixen had told him that, which didn't cheer him up at all. She revealed her secret to some fire breather, but not to the closest friend.

"So what, feral?" He asked with brutal honesty. The free dragon watched him with disbelief, for first several seconds unsure what to say.

"She... She had no choice! If she didn't follow his orders then..." He tried to argue.

"Then what? What would Clavius do to a dragoness hidden in the center of the dragon city who if we wanted, we could escort hundreds kilometers away, just to keep that sick wyvern away from her?! Enlighten me!" Sable interrupted, shouting. "If only she told us a word, this all would end up in a completely different way!"

"If she could tell you, she'd do so." Zheek refused stubbornly. "You have no idea how crushed she was after what Clavius had done to her. You haven't seen her crying every night. You know nothing about her!" The fire breather didn't mean to give up just like that. After all, he loved Vixen and couldn't stand anyone accusing her of betrayal.

"No, it's you who know nothing about her. Understand that she's not just a little, childish, giggling kid. She endured more than anyone her age. She watched her parents die, she was turned into a dragoness in age of just five. She heard dragon calling himself her father saying that she was just a worthless tool in his paws. Douten, her so-called father pierced her chest when she protected Spyro with her own body. She's not a child. She perfectly realized what she chose and what would be my reaction. She chose to hide the truth, trusted not friends, but enemies. It was only her choice." Sable said angrily, hoping that Zheek would give up finally.

"You lie. She couldn't think rationally, she was blackmailed, terrified. If she had clear choice, she'd choose her friends, like every dragon would!" The fire breather argued. "But Clavius wounded her mind, she can't think rationally about anything that involves him." Zheek watched deeply into his eyes with stubbornness. "Sable, you know it as well. Deeply in your heart you perfectly realize that Vixen is good. You just have to look into your heart."

"Beautiful words and yet those only mean that she was scared." Sable said harshly. "When she made her choice, Clavius was hundreds kilometers away from her. He couldn't influence her from there." The lightning dragon watched youngster with annoyance. "I'm done with you." He decided and started walking away.

"Stop!" Zheek shouted angrily, but Sable ignored him. "I challenge you, wyvern!" Then, the medic stopped.

"Excuse me?" He asked with disbelief.

"I challenge you, no swords, no elements, only talons and tailblades. If I win, you go after Vixen right away and bring her back." Zheek watched the lightning dragon hatefully.

"If I win, you stop yelling about that traitor and don't even try following her. Fine?" Sable asked.

"Fine." The fire breather hissed, absolutely certain of his victory. After all swords were Sable's fighting style, he couldn't be very good without them.

"Challenge accepted." Sable agreed and turned around, watching the free dragon carefully. "Here and now?"

"Yes, the last dragon standing wins." Zheek decided.

"With pleasure." Sable agreed coldly. He didn't have to repeat himself, the fire breather jumped to him right when he heard that. In a second he decreased distance between them to a meter, jumped to Sable and slashed with talons. The lightning dragon stepped back, avoiding his attack for centimeters. Then, he pushed forward to Zheek, attacking his chest. The fire breather blocked the blow, and swung his paw, throwing dust into Sable's eyes. The lightning dragon closed his eyes involuntarily and Zheek knocked him out with painful blow in jaw. Once Sable fell on the ground, his tail wrapped around fire breather's throat. Zheek tried to release himself, but then, Sable brought him to the floor and tried to kick his jaws with a foot, but the fire breather bit it. Sable dropped him and jumped back, narrowing four dragons, Ivory, Dante, Tris and Farady, watching their fight. Zheek stood up quickly and not thinking much, jumped to the lightning user. He swung his paw angrily, but Sable just jerked his head at the left. Then, the fire breather felt air rush his lungs as he got powerful blow in chest and just a second later felt pain at side of his head. Zheek fell on the ground hardly and Sable watched him coldly.

"We're done." Sable said and turned around. The feral dragon used that opportunity to jump to his enemy and slash his back with both paws. He almost succeeded. Sable's tail wrapped around one of his paws and blocked the another one. As the medic turned around, he pushed Zheek who went forward, fell exactly on Sable's fist. Feeling intensive pain in chest, the fire breather collapsed on the ground.

"Are we done?" Sable asked, watching him carefully. Zheek hissed angrily, but he knew that he lost.

"Yes." He agreed reluctantly.

"Good." Sable didn't smile with satisfaction, but only turned around and walked away, passing by the spectators, saying not even a word to them. He went straight to room where was laying Viola. The lightning dragon sighed deeply and watched his mate carefully. Her breath was slow, but regular, whole her chest was covered in bandage, but despite that, she looked quite good. Then, his heart rate as he saw the ice dragoness's eye blink. Did she really do that, or was it just illusion? Then, she did it again. Sable was certain about it. She was waking up. Then, Viola's eyes opened slowly and she turned her head to see her mate. At her lips, there danced slight smile.

"Hey, Sable." She whispered with weak voice.

"Viola!" Sable shouted joyfully and hugged her gently, careful about her wounds. They kissed passionately. After two weeks of separation, after whole this fear if she'd make it alive, Sable could be kissing her like that probably forever. But he was forced to interrupt it when his paw slipped and he almost fell on the ground. Tris, who was passing by the entrance to that room, jerked her head to watched the couple for several seconds. She smiled slightly and once she realized that she shouldn't interrupt, she continued walking to her mate.

"I was so scared about you." Sable confessed, once tear of happiness flowed down his cheek. Whole his anger because of happenings of that day vanished in that very second.

"Come on, was it that bad?" Viola watched her chest carefully. "It was just one blow..."

"Breaking ribs, tearing left lung, avoiding heart for centimeters. If I met Ivory two, three hours later, I doubt if we'd save you." He sighed with relief. "It's good to have you back." The lightning dragon kissed her cheek and the ice dragoness smiled with pleasure.

"It's good to be back." Viola agreed. Then, she looked around curiously. She didn't recognize that place at all.

"It's cave in the middle of wyvern territory. Two free dragons, siblings: Zheek and Farady helped us get here and hide. They promised that they'd get us out of here." Sable explained. "If not them, we wouldn't make it this far.

"I will have to thank them for that." Viola smiled slightly. It was good to know that they weren't completely alone in there. "How long time have I been unconscious?" She asked with curiosity.

"Two and half weeks, I think." Sable said and his mate watched him with disbelief.

"No." She refused, unsure, if wasn't he joking. "Whole two weeks? That's not possible."

"I'm afraid it is." The lightning dragon refused. "But you haven't missed much, the most of time we've spent here, hiding from wyverns."

"Sweet." Viola said with note of disappointment. Even though she had been sleeping for two weeks, she still felt sleepy. "Is everyone fine?" She asked.

"No." Sable's voice saddened. "Crag was killed." He explained. The ice dragoness sighed sadly. She really liked that cheerful earth dragon.

"How did he die?" She asked with sorrow in her voice.

"Protecting Ivory and Dante. He bought them lives with price of his own." Sable explained. "It's long story, we'll heal you a little more, sit all together and explain you this all what had happened."

"Yeah, good idea." Viola agreed. "Just before I woke up, I heard some shout, I think it were you, but I couldn't recognize the second voice. What happened?" She watched her mate curiously.

"Oh, that..." Sable sighed deeply. "I and Keezheekoni had an argument." The ice dragoness watched him dumbstruck, hearing that name.

"Keezheekoni's that free dragon, Zheek is shortcut." The medic explained.

"Oh, go on." Viola pleased.

"We had a quarrel about Vixen." Sable explained tersely.

"What happened between you?" The ice dragoness watched her mate curiously. Then, Sable started explaining everything that happened between him, Vixen and Zheek. The explanation took him a while and really saddened Viola. She didn't expect such a chain of events. When Sable told her what had happened that day, the ice dragoness sighed sadly. She seemed really disappointed with him, but not angry. She knew that Sable as already feeling really down and her being angry would only make it worse.

"Too harsh, Sable. Far too harsh." She admonished him. "You have right to be mad at her, but you shouldn't have been so strict. You shouldn't have banished her. Definitely not here, not now. Alone, she'll be in danger." Viola said with worries.

"All alone, she'll sneak out from any ambush, assuming that she'd allow any wyvern to even enclose to her. I wouldn't be surprised, if she was passing the border right now." Sable predicted.

"I mean her mind, Sable, and you know it. After Crag's death and broken bond between you two, she must be crushed. Aren't you scared that she'll do something irrational?" The ice dragoness explained sadly. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Like committing suicide? No." Sable disagreed. "She'll live, as long as she won't redeem her guilt. She wants me to forgive. Trust me, I saw it in her eyes. She'll do anything for me to forgive her. And the first step would be living on." The lightning dragon assured her.

"And will you forgive her?" Viola asked doubtfully. "You know how important it is to her, right?"

"I know. I will not forget. About forgiving... I don't know, maybe with time. She perfectly knew that my decision was based only on her knowledge, if this journey would be safe. And she realized that it wasn't safe. As for now, I don't want to see her."

"So, will you do anything about her?" The dragoness wondered.

"No, I won't . Not now. I feel horrible about this all, but I have no idea what to do. She's my friend, but I'm so mad at her…" Then, Sable kissed his mate gently. "Let's don't think about her. I'm so happy to know that you'll live." Viola smiled slightly.

"Yeah." She wanted to say something more, but Sable's kiss made it impossible. And idea of opposing didn't even pass through her mind.

Zheek sighed deeply with annoyance, as Ivory was estimating his paw carefully. She used a small amount of magic to heal several bleeding scratches , which Sable's tailblade left when his tail wrapped around Zheek's arm. The fire breather at first opposed and tried to persuade her that he didn't need her help, but she insisted and Zheek had to give up sooner or later. And so, Ivory was healing his arm and watched his second paw in meanwhile.

"This what you and Sable were talking about Vixen before you two were at each other's throats... Is it true?" Ivory asked with disbelief.

"I'm only sure that Vixen was tortured, she told me that. Could Sable lie?" Zheek wondered.

"No. He's not exactly what I'd call calculated or cold-blooded, but he wouldn't yell at Vixen and banish her unless he had irrefutable proof that it was fully her fault. Sable trusted her. She was very important to him, almost like a sister, I'd say." Ivory explained. She knew the lightning dragon for five years already, so she knew what person he was. "He may seem in your eyes bad, impulsive, furious and all, but in fact… it was a terrible blow for him. You have no idea how he's suffering and you denying that didn't make him feel better at all. He needs time to get through this all. They both do."

"So all we've heard about Vixen was true." Zheek realized that sadly. "Will she return?"

"Sable will need time to forgive her. Long time or some extreme situation that would change everything." Ivory explained. The fire breather sighed sadly. "Hey, cheer up, if Sable was a wyvern, as you keep calling him, you'd have so much poison in your veins that I'd have to amputate your arm before it'd kill you." The medic asked, smiling carelessly. Zheek gave her gloomy sight.

"Any other good news?" He asked skeptically.

"Yeah, something more encouraging, as I guess. Sable and Vixen were very close to each other in Venganza, so I'm sure they'll reconcile one day, no matter what they had told each other back then. There are dragons in this world that you simply can't not forgive. Of course, it will take time, but I believe in them. Sable is really good person, he just needs to calm down after those shocking news." Ivory assured him.

"Are you sure about that?" Zheek asked hopefully.

"Yes, I am." Ivory nodded, confirming. Two dragons talked a little more and the ice dragoness let Zheek go in a little better mood.

Next two days didn't bring much joy. Viola had regained consciousness, she was getting better, but, as Farady and Zheek stated, the wyverns were enclosing to their hideout with every hour. They couldn't escape fast enough with the ice dragoness in her state, so they waited, hoping that wyverns would pass by them. The chance for that was quite big, especially, if the fire breather would use his voice to trick the soldiers, but still, their situation couldn't be called good since they were stuck and could only wait for wyverns to make a mistake. In Vixen's case no one really argued, if Sable's choice was right; on one side they felt bad about Vixen being all alone, but on the other, they realized that her act couldn't be forgiven just like that.

Not so far away from the hideout of dragons, there was an old willow. Its branches were perfect shelter from wind, only gentle evening light could pass by it. Beneath the tree, there was growing only short, dry grass. That was where Vixen was sitting. The little dragoness was leaning against the tree. Her tears had stopped flowing hours ago, her belly hurt in starving, but she hadn't even tried to hunt anything.

"She passes a day, one after the other.

She never sees, she never hears." She started singing a silent song overfilled with sorrow. She took from her bag at the side a sheet of paper. It was a map of lands around Celeste Tribu. Crag had copied it for her when they still were in the wyvern city. Then, she didn't know what would she need it for, but now, she thanked in mind for it.

"Counting the hours, her life is a rerun,

Series of failures rolled into one." She marked Celeste Tribu, her friends' hideout and her current position. She watched those three carefully. As she sung silently the last words of stanza, her voice trembled a little.

"When she was young, she looked for the future,

Eyes of the promise, heart of a joy." She drawn the line from her position to the dragons and then, to Celeste Tribu. There could be seen small sparkle in her eye, as there appeared a plan in her head. She thanked in mind for that she had learnt all Clavius's habits for last five years, without those, she wouldn't achieve anything. She perfectly realized that Sable would hate her for what she meant to do, but she couldn't just stand aside and watch, neither she meant to keep escaping.

"How have the road twisted so harshly,

Can these two females be one and these same?" Vixen sung with nostalgia. All at once, she recalled whole her life. She couldn't refuse statement that her life never bothered itself with making anything easier for her. Little dragoness took from her bag flint, this same Crag had given her five years earlier, at their first meeting. She released waterfall of sparkles on the map. Her friends would have problems, if she was caught with that.

"Once, she dreamt of romance,

Once she imagined she lived in a castle." The fire finally started consuming gentle map quickly. Vixen watched carefully flames dancing only centimeters from her paws.

"Once, she held world in her hands..." She threw away subtly small paper away. Her eyes were following it when burning map was floating in the air, enclosing slowly to the ground. Before it touched dark green grass, there remained only ashes. Vixen closed her eyes and simple tear left her eye. Funny thing, she was sure that she had already cried out all of them.

"Once was long time ago, far, far away."


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35. "The greatest value"

Oscuro was walking nervously in his room, completely lost in his thoughts. He was making small circles quickly, watching the floor. On his back, he was wearing his royal blade. Expect him, there was no one else in his room. Luna had left with Iris earlier when he said that he wanted to be alone for a moment. He was trying to think of any plan what to do in his current situation. Two weeks earlier he felt much more confident, but now, he could feel he was stepping on very thin ice. He heard knocking at the door and one of his guards entered.

"I told you not to interrupt me." Oscuro admonished him, once he came in.

"My apologize, Principe, but Princesa Leal really wants to meet you." The guard explained himself, bowing deeply.

"Let her in, if she insists." Oscuro ordered tersely.

"Yes, Principe." The wyvern bowed once more, turned around and left. Several seconds later, there entered Leal. She was wearing her spade, stepping with graceful, haughty a little step. She played confident, but Oscuro easily realized that she was quite stressed. She was on his ground now. Leal stood before prince.

"Please, sit down." He pointed her sofa and sat at the opposite one. Princess sat cozily and smiled to the wyvern.

"Anything to drink?" Oscuro suggested, pointing at table were was standing glassy jug filled with some yellow juice and two beautifully ornamented crystal glasses.

"No, thank you." Leal refused politely.

"Are you sure? It's made of the freshest fruits, straight from Soleado Valle. This is the tastiest juice in the world, I promise." Oscuro filled glass with juice, watched almost transparent liquid and sipped a little.

"I'm afraid I have to refuse." Leal was still wearing the mask of politeness. Then, prince laughed aloud, swinging his glass in such a way that wyverness was sure that he'd drop it. And yet, he didn't pour even a drip.

"It's not poisoned." He read through her apprehensions. "I wouldn't waste such a tasteful juice for poison." He explained, indignant with Leal's carefulness. "Even if it was meant for you." Princess watched him carefully and she realized that he was honest. She sighed deeply.

"Fine, pour me, but not much, please." She explained herself. Oscuro nodded with understanding and poured her just half glass. Then, he handed it to the princess, who thanked and sipped a little.

"Wow, so sweet!" Leal watched it with disbelief. "You were right about it." She said, as she drunk more of it. "Could I have a little more?" She pleased.

"No problem." He took her glass and poured her more juice. "Have you ever been to Soleado Valle?" He asked with careless voice, as if they weren't political enemies, but close friends. The wyverness shook her head quickly.

"How is it like in there?" She watched Oscuro curiously.

"Well, exactly as its name says, it's a sunny valley. It's very warm in there, they don't have real winter. It's far away at the northern west so visit in Soleado Valle took me whole year. Go there, if you have opportunity, it's beautiful place." The prince suggested.

"Well, if I have time..." Leal sighed deeply.

"So, what you brings you here?" Oscuro stopped mincing his words. The careless conversation was fun, but he lost his patience, quitted the game that wouldn't gain him anything. The princess couldn't help grinning insolently.

"Triumph, Oscuro. Triumph. Everything goes according to the plan. Dragons surrounded, Sombras already in Warfang..." She noticed.

"Those Sombras... Do you realize that it may cause war?" In Oscuro's voice, there could be felt note of anger.

"Oscuro, those are well trained elite warriors. Only four of them. They'll leave no trace." Leal argued.

"Just succeeding of both their missions will leave a trace straight to our kingdom." The prince disagreed firmly. "You've sent them two weeks ago, so right now, they're near Warfang. Don't be surprised if in next two weeks, we see the dragon army standing before our gates!" Oscuro shouted.

"Dragons are tired with all these wars. Even if something goes wrong, we'll finish this without war. And remember that Sable's companions are practically in our paws. We can use them as trump card." Leal explained. Oscuro sighed deeply.

"I don't like this at all. You're playing dangerous game." The prince watched her carefully. "You'd better quit it when you still have a chance." He suggested.

"No, you'd better quit." Leal disagreed. "Maybe you'll live, if you do so." She smiled insolently.

"I understand." He said slowly and then, princess realized that she had behaved too confidently. Once she'd be a queen, she could do so, but it wasn't time yet.

"Could you leave now?" Oscuro pleased. In his voice, there could be heard a threat. He wouldn't stand being threatened in his own house. Grin quickly disappeared from princess's face, as she knew in what danger she was. No one could really protect her from prince's fury in his own house.

"Of course. Goodbye, Principe Oscuro." Leal stood up and bowed. She understood the threat even too well. Besides, she didn't feel very confident in Oscuro's apartment.

"Farewell." The prince bowed not deeper than her and watched her carefully leaving. He had to figure her out the fastest he could.

Tremor and group of almost thirty youngsters in age of fourteen entered to the biggest hall in the whole academy. It was the sparring room where each class would once a week train their skills. The class he had lessons with at that moment were all youngsters with ambitions of being guards et cetera, so they all were good fighters. Everyone like that lesson. There was no boring theory, but only fight, which always was great show. Of course, Tremor had to be careful all the time. There had already happened several accidents when he had to interfere to avoid someone's death or serious wound.

"So, let's start the fights!" Tremor announced. Joyful shout from thirty throats showed him how enthusiastic about it they were. The guardian smiled slightly. "Well, the first fight will be..." All students raised their paws high. They knew that there wouldn't be time for everyone to fight.

"Remember, ladies first." Tremor noticed. All males rapidly put their paws down. Well, almost all, since one was a little too slow. "Interesting, Marx..." The guardian didn't finish sentence, as all the youngsters expect one earth dragon laughed aloud. Marx, discouraged, put his paw down slowly.

"You'll be the second to fight, Marx." Tremor recompensed this embarrassment to the young earth dragon. He knew that everyone like him so he could make a little of fun of him. "And now... Vis and Aria, come on!" The guardian chose. Two students, respectively earth dragoness and fire breather, stood in the middle. Tremor chose those girls, because he knew that they were close friends, but both of them hated losing, so it was going to be fierce and relatively safe duel. Two dragonesses started making circles slowly.

"You'd better give up, I already won." Aria suggested with ominous voice.

"My tail, you did! You won't even lay a finger on me!" Lydia riposted.

"Really? Come and try!" The fire breather shouted.

"Fine, here I..." In that moment, both dragonesses were hit in sides of their heads with little stones.

"Less talking, more fighting." Tremor ordered, smiling slightly and holding another two stones between fingers. All the class laughed aloud. Then, two dragonesses took flight and started a real fight. Tremor was watching them both carefully for all the time, ready to fly to them or shoot earth bullet, if something went wrong. Time was passing very quickly for all of them. There've already finished several duels when dragons heard knocking at the doors. Everyone turned and looked curiously the door. Even the lightning dragoness Nila and the earth dragon Olivo, who were fighting at that moment, stopped in the air.

"Have a break." Tremor ordered them. "Please, come in." He said in direction of door. It opened and there appeared some lightning dragon. Tremor easily recognized him. "Ray! What are you doing here?" He asked, surprised.

"It's a long story." The lightning dragon said tersely. Then, he watched carefully all the students. "Are those your students?"

"Yes, this my class." Tremor agreed. "Kids, this is my friend, Ray, the elder of the eastern city." The guardian introduced his friend to the class. "Well, he's kind of young, as for elder, but he's giving his best." Tremor added, grinning.

"Spoke the old guardian." Ray riposted sarcastically. Loudly, of course, so everyone heard him. All the class laughed again. They loved their teacher, just like all students who had opportunity to be taught by the earth guardian. He was always giving his best to make the lessons the most interesting he could.

"Olivo, Nila, go on. Give your best. We have a visitor, after all." Tremor said. Two students looked at each other and nodded. Then, they started fighting again. Ray sighed deeply watching two fighters.

"Honorable, aren't they? When we were fighting in eastern city and were ordered to continue fight, I didn't wait for you, but shot a lightning in your chest. If Blizzard didn't catch you, you'd spend several months in hospital with all your limbs broken." Ray recalled.

"Don't forget that I caught your tail so we were falling together." Tremor riposted. "And I won our race in the dodging room."

"We were hit there so badly that we both spent several weeks in hospital with cracked skulls. No one won." The lightning dragon noticed.

"I know how it ended up. But I made it farther." The guardian argued. Both of them chuckled silently, all the time watching two students.

"Whatever." Ray decided to give up on this pointless argument.

"So, what brings you here?" Tremor asked curiously. "I thought your vacation was over."

"Yup, me too. But I yelled at Ardora so much that when I asked for two weeks of holiday more, no one had doubts if they should agree." The elder explained.

"Why did you do it?" The earth guardian had never heard of his friend shouting at anyone.

"Ardora really wanted to know where's hidden Douten's tome about elixirs. You know, the one about transmutation and elixirs. Forbidden Alchemy. If not it, Douten would never create Venganza." Ray said.

"Oh... Only you and Itara know where is it hidden, right?" Tremor recalled.

"No, only me. We decided that it would be better. The more dragons have the information, the easier it can leak out."

"True." The guardian agreed. "So I can't count on it that you'll tell me where is it?"

"Oh, have you finally realized how perfect element lightning is and want to have it?" The lightning dragon guessed half-jokingly. "Don't count on it. For the rest of your life, you'll have only your miserable earth."

"Didn't this miserable earth hit you straight in your jaws every time we sparred in the childhood?" Tremor noticed, grinning.

"Just one or two..." Ray tried to disagree.

"Hundreds times." The guardian was faster. "So, where will you stop? Have you taken Lyrian, Maggie and Livia?" He asked.

"Yes, they're with me. They went to... Stella, I think? Or maybe to Lyrian's cousin? Well, I'll have to look for them. Anyway, staying in Sable's house is out of question and you have Flush already. I guess I'll spend a night in Flame's house, unless Lyrian comes up with something." Ray explained.

"I guess that's the best idea." Tremor agreed. "Flame has really spacious house, it will be just perfect for you. Will you stay to the end of lesson?" He suggested.

"Oh, no, I'm afraid I can't. I have to find my girls." Ray refused. "My girls... And as child, I thought that my greatest happiness would be becoming the guardian or elder." He noticed, grinning.

"Yeah, we were so young and naïve." Tremor agreed giggling. "Are you hurrying anywhere?" He asked doubtfully.

"Yes, leaving Lyrian all alone with any female and especially with Stella is kind of dangerous." Ray explained. "At least for my pride. You know that Stella's rather curious one and once Lyrian starts telling all these stories..." He sighed deeply. Tremor laughed silently.

"You'd better run." The guardian advised half-jokingly.

"I know." Ray agreed. He bided goodbye Tremor and all his students and left quickly. Ray left academy to enter street full of dragons. He stood still and took deep breath enjoying fresh air and warm sunlight of midday. Then, he started walking carelessly. Despite what he said earlier, he didn't hurry at all, he wasn't in mood to do so. He just walked, enjoying beautiful view of Warfang, smiling to other passersby, once he even started some careless conversation with dragoness a little younger than him, having walk with her little son. Ray couldn't help smiling all the time. Oh, he was so happy like never! The lightning elder was just about to enter Stella's house, when he heard someone calling him.

"Ray! Ray!" He heard calling of young male. He turned around to see not very old fire breather. He was twenty, or so. "You are Ray, right?" He asked, as he stopped before the elder.

"Yes, my name's Ray." The lightning dragon confirmed. "Do I know you?" He asked curiously.

"No, no. I am Primo. Some ice dragoness asked me to give you this." The fire breather explained and handed to him some sheet of paper. It was a letter. Ray watched it carefully. "Who gave you this?"

"Some ice dragoness, your age." Primo explained shortly. "Can I go?" He asked. It looked like he was in quite hurry.

"Yes, yes. Thank you." Ray thanked him.

"No problem. The fire breather replied, turned around and disappeared in crowd of other dragons. The elder opened his letter and smiled slightly. Yes, it definitely was Lyrian's writing. She wrote there that she had left kids in her cousin's house and she offered him going to some place where they could have some intimacy, precisely describing that place, even drawing little map. Ray giggled. She couldn't just take him there. No. It would be much more romantic, if he had to look for her a little. Well, why not? He simply couldn't refuse. "Give me fifteen minutes and I'll be right there." Ray said to himself.

"Easier to say than do." The lightning dragon noticed with annoyance, as he read the description for hundredth time and watched the map once more. There was nothing wrong about those. The only reason were elder's really doubtful skills of reading maps. Ray cursed silently once more, as he raised his head and watched around. "This tower. It's here. It must be here." He said to himself. "The northern side of the city..." He read text once more. "It's north, isn't it?" He wondered. "It must be north." He tried to convince himself. The lightning user shook his head with annoyance. He made another turn and then, he saw a small wooden door with big black stain on it. Exactly as described in the letter. He smiled to himself. He found it. Ray walked to the door and opened it slowly. It was completely dark in there, there could be felt specific, kind of pleasant smell of old wood. He stepped inside and wood creaked silently under his feet. Then, he heard noise of something swinging and felt dull pain at back of his head. The lightning elder fell on the ground, unconscious.

Ray woke up an hour later, in exactly this same house. The first thing he noticed was that he was tied. Strongly, so he couldn't release himself, but he could feel his paws. Anyone did that, he wasn't an amateur. He wanted to say something, but his jaws were gagged. He looked around. It wasn't dark anymore. His eyes grew wide, as he saw two little dragonesses and one much older. Those were Livia, Maggie and Lyrian. All of them were tied and gagged. Only his mate was awake, both their hatchlings were sleeping. He sent her asking sight and his mate shook her head intensively. She wanted him not to do anything until they do something. Right, who were those they? Then, he heard male voice.

"Ellos son despierto, compañero." His voice had hissing, characteristic accent. Ray knew that it was wyvern language, he knew that the male said that dragons were awake. In his mind appeared thousands questions. Who were they? Who sent them? What did they want? Why did they have to involve his family? Then, a wyvern stood before him, so Ray watched him carefully. He was old. Very old, at least as for kidnapper, covered in many scars. He was wearing black, very light armor covering only his shoulders, head and not whole chest. There was a dark blade hanging on wyvern's side. He recognized that armor. He was Sombra, elite soldier from Celeste Tribu. "Wait, Viola's in Celeste negotiating the alliance right now, why are those wyverns here?" The elder asked himself in mind.

"We'll release your jaws, but if you try to shout or use lightning, you'll lose your daughter." The wyvern said. Then the second one, not more than twenty years old Sombra, touched Livia's throat with edge of his blade, confirming his companions words. Ray nodded with understanding. His gag was taken off.

"Release my family. Now." Ray ordered angrily. He felt his blood was boiling.

"You're not in a position to negotiate with us, dragon." The scarred Sombra noticed, smiling slightly. "One so insolent word more and we'll shed some blood. We have three hostages, so it won't be a problem for us." The wyvern noticed. The lightning dragon wanted to say something but he bit his tongue just in time.

"What do you want?" He asked, lowering his sight. He knew that submissiveness was the only way to save his family. The younger of wyverns giggled silently.

"Looks like we've humbled such a proud dragon, huh?" Sombra laughed in his face.

"Quit it, kid." The scarred one admonished him. "He's proud, but not arrogant. Oppositely to you." He admonished him. Young Sombra muttered something, but didn't oppose. "Now, listen to me, Ray. Five years ago, a former elder from your city, Douten, had an old tome called "Forbidden Alchemy". After Venganza's fall, it disappeared. You were the one to hide it." Ray's eyes grew wide. If wyverns got that tome... It could cause another war.

"You want me to bring it to you?" The elder asked with disbelief.

"Yes. You'd better be fast." The younger of Sombras suggested.

"You have five days. We expect you in the midday at the Well of Tears. Do you know where it is?" The scarred Sombra watched him carefully. Then, Lyrian hissed angrily at her mate. With sight, she ordered him not to agree. Younger of Sombras put blade on her neck, but she ignored it. Ray looked deeply into his mate's eyes. She was watching him angrily, but then elder pointed with sight at their kids. Lyrian's eyes grew wide for a second. Then, she lowered her sight, she wasn't angry now, but sorrowful. If it was only about her and Ray, she'd never forgive him giving wyverns that tome, even, if both of them made it alive. But when Livia and Maggie were involved... She understood that Ray felt exactly this same way. Their two were ready to die for their kind. But they would never sacrifice their children.

"Dragon? Don't make me repeat myself." The scarred Sombra suggested. He perfectly understood how great dilemma the elder had, so he was patient, pleasing for an answer, but not forcing it, in fact.

"I will do it." Ray agreed.

"Leave Warfang quickly. Take the tome and meet us in five days at the Well of Tears. If we notice any dragon looking for us, we'll kill your mate." The older of wyverns said. Then, he slashed rope binding Ray. "Now go." The scarred Sombra ordered. Ray stood up and left.

The lightning dragon was walking slowly across the city. Other passersby didn't exist for him, he was slipping between them, not caring about them at all. He heard his heart hammering madly. Five years earlier he declared that he'd hide that book, because he knew perfect place for that. He never thought that anyone, expect elders of his city, guardians and several other dragons would know about it. Especially not wyverns of Celeste Tribu. Not speaking of fact that he never thought that anyone would try to get it in such a way. Was it really happening? Whole his family could die, if he didn't do something. "Damn it! Why?!" The elder screamed in his mind "Can't they just remain at the north and care only about their business?! No, they had to come here and mess everything up so badly! At first that pandemic, now this tome... Right, Viola, Tris and the others. I hope they're fine. Sable protected them, right? He has Ivory, Crag... No, they couldn't die. If only I could tell guardians, at least about Viola and others. But they would ask how do I know it. For ancestors' sake!" Ray hissed angrily. He was praying in his mind not to meet any of his friends. He knew that he looked terribly, if anyone saw him, he'd easily recognize that something was wrong. And then, he heard some cheerful voice.

"Ray, there you are!" The elder felt creeps across his body. It was Tremor. He ignored the guardian behind him, but kept walking. If he ignored him, Tremor maybe wouldn't follow him. At least Ray hoped for it. But the earth guardian ran after him. "Ray, wait for me!" The earth dragon stood right next to him and watched his friend carefully.

"Hey, Tremor." Ray whispered.

"Hey, are you alright?" Tremor asked with worries. "Where's Lyrian and your kids?"

"They're..." Lightning dragon's voice trembled, but he controlled himself just in time. "They're heading to the home. Lyrian has completely forgotten about doing something in there and she returned." The lightning dragon sighed deeply. "She could at least wait for me, but she left me only a note." He noticed with sham calmness and annoyance. He couldn't believe that he was really so self-possessed. But Tremor still was suspicious.

"Are you sure everything's fine?" He asked him carefully.

"Yes, yes, it's just... I hate her to disappear just like that. Anyway, I've got to go or I'll never catch up with my girls." Ray explained himself. "So, I'll be going. See you!" He bided the guardian goodbye and walked away.

"See you." Tremor replied, watching his friend suspiciously, as he was disappearing in crowd of dragons.

Two days later, Ray was in the middle of some dark forest. He was really tired, since he had been flying madly since he left Warfang. But finally, he was there. Ray walked to some old stone and watched it carefully. Once he noticed engraved letter "S", he was sure about that place. He never knew what it meant, he only knew that anyone built this place, he had abandoned it hundreds years earlier. He entered small, inconspicuous cave, the same as thousands of others in that area. No one ever bothered himself with investigating those, there were simply too many of them and many could collapse, if anyone entered. But Ray knew that this cave wouldn't fall. It was special. He entered it slowly and moved some stone. Behind it, there was hidden torch and flint. Ray set small torch on fire and walked deeply inside the dark cave. With one paw holding torch, he couldn't walk very fast, but he couldn't do so anyway, because he had to look around all the time, not to miss that place. Cave's walls were irregular, so it looked like any other, it was quite narrow. The corridor was quite often turning, all the time remaining at this same height and width. After five minutes, the lightning dragon stopped rapidly, even though the corridor was still much longer. It was already there. Ray put torch so it would light floor and one of walls. He found a small mechanism very low at the wall, only half a meter above floor. It had five gaps for five talons and drawn schematically paw. Any average dragon would just put all fingers in it and turn the circle. Ray had already heard about such mechanisms. If you put fingers in wrong gaps, it would rapidly spin, making two full circles, damaging wrist so badly that it couldn't be even healed, but only amputated. Well, if you were lucky and had powerful medical wizard, you could save your wrist. But only if you were lucky. Ray took deep breath and focused, recalling the correct combination. He hadn't been using it for years, after all. The elder put fingers only into first and third holes from left and made half of circle. Then, he heard some disturbing crack and his heart skipped a beat. But just a second later, there could be another one, which meant that the mechanism was locked. Ray sighed with relief. He still remembered how scared he was when he was guessing the correct combination for the first time. There were so many combinations, but he was so lucky that he still could declare himself as proud owner of two paws. One could say that he could make talons made of stone and guess the combination as many times as he wanted. But hey, it was Ray, the lightning dragon; far too proud for such cheating. Once mechanism was turned, Ray made several steps farther and pushed some rock. Then, he saw a little door, which he opened quickly. Ray had always been very proud of that hideout, finding it took him very long time. The lightning dragon took great book and watched it carefully. It was very heavy, written with ancient, ornamented beautifully letters. It was the only existing book of "Forbidden Alchemy", the only copy, belonging to wyverns of Celeste Tribu, had been burnt in fire of royal library's secret archives two hundred years earlier. The key of turning wyverns into dragons and giving them elements. The knowledge so dangerous that it should remain in darkness. The only way to save his family. Ray cursed silently. "What to do? What to do?" He asked himself. "If I don't give it them, my family dies, if I do... Damn it!" The elder hissed angrily. "Is it really happening?" Then, he heard some steps. The lightning dragon stuck torch in some hole in the wall, so he could see the newcomer. The mysterious person appeared from behind corner and Ray's eyes grew wide as he recognized him.

"Tremor..." He whispered with disbelief. The guardian watched him and the book he was holding carefully.

"Ray, what are you doing here? Is that book..." Tremor asked.

"Yes, this is Douten's "Forbidden Alchemy". And I..." Ray sighed deeply. "I'm wondering, if should I betray my own kind or only my whole family." The elder explained.

"What do you mean?" The guardian didn't understand anything at all.

"Two wyverns, Sombras from Celeste Tribu, kidnapped Lyrian, Livia and Maggie just two days ago. In exchange for their lives, they want me to give them this book. And so, here I am, wondering what should I do." Ray said with sorrow.

"Ray..." Tremor sighed sadly. "You know that I can't let you give this book to wyverns." The earth guardian explained carefully, not sure how his friend would react. "This tome must remain hidden."

"It's so easy for you to say now!" The elder shouted, as in his eyes, there appeared tears. "It's not your family that is in deadly danger! What would you do, if you were me?!" Ray's voice was filled with despair. He already felt bad about what he was doing and now, Tremor was only making it worse.

"I would tell others and save my family." The guardian replied. Ray snorted silently.

"Sometimes you really live in completely different world." He noticed. "Don't you understand? They are Sombras! If they notice anything suspicious and if we try, they certainly will, they'll kill my family!" Ray shouted.

"Just put this book down. Trust me." Tremor advised his friend. Still, there could be heard threatening note in his voice. "I am a guardian, you're an elder. Together, we can deal with those wyverns without letting them get this. Come on, we can do it." The guardian pointed at Douten's tome, trying to use against Ray one of his greatest weaknesses; pride.

"And what can I do now? There's only one other solution, letting my family die!" The elder hissed at his friend and Tremor watched him with disbelief. Ray always would be proud, convinced that he's one of the strongest dragons in world. He would always call his element the best one. He was sure that for him, nothing was impossible. And now, he doubted in himself? He was so scared about his family that he didn't want to take risk, even though not taking it could mean threat to whole his kind? Tremor would always find him proud, maybe a little arrogant and definitely, mentally strong, not bowing to anyone. Now he understood that if attacked at his weak point, family, Ray could be bent to enemy's will really easily. Tremor understood him well. But still, he couldn't let him go. The elder hissed angrily once more.

"Out of my way. Don't try to stop me." Ray warned him, preparing for fight.

"Sorry, I have to." Tremor apologized and made defensive pose. "Give up, Ray, put this book down. We can do this another way, without risking future of whole dragon kind." The guardian pleased.

"I apologize, friend, I didn't want it to end up like this. But those wyverns are Sombras, elite of their own kind. They don't do mistakes, they can't afford to do it. Neither can I. I can't lose my family. Just step back or I'll kill you." The elder warned his friend.

"Come and try." Tremor replied. He didn't mean to kill him, only wound seriously.

"I hoped you wouldn't say that." Ray said sadly, as between his teeth, there jumped small lightning. Then, he jumped to Tremor. Two dragons, guardian and elder, but first of all, close friends from childhood, started their battle, putting on the line all that they cared about at the most in the whole world.


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36. "Was it love?"

Since Vixen's leaving, there passed already two days. It was evening, right before the night when it still was bright enough for ordinary dragon to see anything in dense forest. Zheek was walking the forest, hunting. Or rather, he was supposed to be hunting, since he definitely wasn't doing that. The fire breather was only wandering pointlessly across dark woods, not knowing what he expected to find there. He terribly endured black dragoness's leaving, but didn't tell anything anyone. He kept word given to Sable after their duel, even though he wanted to scream, so the whole world would hear him and Vixen would return. Zheek felt creeps all across his body, as there came wave of chilly wind. The nights had been very cold lately, as for summer, of course. Then, there came wave of much warmer air, bringing with itself some song.

"Come here, please. Come, ancient spirits.

Take up my hand and help me." The fire breather stood still. He listened to beautiful, melodious voice with disbelief. He knew it. His heart rate spiked in joy. It was Vixen. He headed quickly to the south, where from he heard it.

"Through the darkness, the fears of night

Bring me the light to guide me." Zheek was already running to her, enjoying another couplet of her beautiful song. His heart was hammering in such a happiness when he realized that he could meet her once more...

"Choices were wrong. I regret all."

"But none my guilt... can be undone." Her voice, seconds earlier so calm, were changing now, filling with more and more sorrow. In the middle of the second verse, Vixen's melody trembled a little in moment when a tear flown down her cheek. Even though Zheek couldn't see her, he knew it. He simply knew it.

"I'm by your side! Deep, in my heart...

I don't want this, so tell me, why?" At first, it sounded like Vixen was convinced about her words, but then, there appeared doubts, which overwhelmed her in the end. The fire breather's heart skipped a beat. He pitied her so much.

"I've lost my way, your voice is silent.

I need you here to remind me." Zheek slowed down, he knew that he was already near to Vixen, but didn't want to scare her. In her voice, there could be heard desperate begging. The black dragoness needed help right now, she could feel the ghosts of past consuming her.

"Show me, please, the way to home.

All that remains, is surrender..." The fire breather stopped in bushes right before small field where was standing Vixen. He watched her with pity, as she sang last, painful and sorrowful note, raising her head to the sky to watch the moons.

"Just tell me, can you forgive?

Bring me peace for that I can live?" Vixen asked sadly. Zheek thought of Sable and his blood boiled. How could that city dragon, city wyvern or whatever he was be so blind to her suffering? He wished that Sable was there, he'd change his mind about her right at that very moment.

"Show me, please, the way to home."The black dragoness begged loudly.

"Let the water flow... Through this broken soul..." Last, silent, gentle melody left her lips, tears fell down her cheeks. Then, Zheek came out the bushes. Vixen startled, as she heard a noise and watched the newcomer. She smiled, as she recognized the fire breather. The little dragoness ran to him quickly and hugged him strongly. Zheek didn't move for several seconds, surprised with such an outrightness. He flushed quickly, his crimson cheeks could be seen even despite red scales. Vixen realized what she had just done and stepped back quickly, thanking in mind that her black scales were hiding her blush quite well. She had no idea that still, Zheek could see those. Their eyes met and Vixen burst out with nervous laugh, turning her sight away, meanwhile.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... I'm just happy to see you here." She explained, not believing in her mind that she was embarrassed because of such a trivial gesture.

"I don't mind." Zheek smiled slightly, embarrassed as well. "I was scared that I wouldn't meet you anymore." He confessed.

"Oh, Sable can try, but won't get rid of me that easily." The black dragoness assured.

"This all what he said about you, about your... knowledge... Was it truth?" The fire breather asked, uncertain, if he should do that. He still couldn't believe that. Vixen hung her head sadly. She could have expected that question.

"My betrayal?" Vixen was thankful for him not having said that, but she decided not to mince her words. "Yes, it's all true. So I appeared to be a vile traitor now, didn't I?" The black dragoness asked shamefully. She didn't look into his eyes, even though she really wished to do so. She felt that she didn't deserve it. Then, she felt warm touch at her chin, as Zheek's paw gently raised his head. Their eyes met. Her, sad and sorrowful, and his, so warm and calming.

"No, you didn't. It was beyond you, you couldn't think rationally." Zheek assured her and dropped her, as he made sure that she wouldn't escape with her sight again.

"I... thank you." Vixen stuttered, confused, unsure what to say. "I'm glad that you came here, even more than I'd be if Sable did." She confessed. At that moment, Zheek realized that her song was supposed to lure there not him, but Sable.

"Will you come back to us?" Zheek asked hopefully. Vixen sighed sadly and shook her head sadly. "Why? Sable would…" The fire breather watched her carefully.

"It's not a good idea." The black dragoness explained. "Besides, this situation is even..." She considered, looking for a right word in her mind. "Convenient, as for me." The fire breather watched her carefully, completely dumbstruck.

"What do you imply?" He asked.

"I have a plan how to get you all out of here." Vixen confessed. Zheek's eyes grew wide.

"You... really..." He stuttered, not believing her. "I thought we were stuck here with all these troops out there..." He noticed.

"Trust me, there are ways." The black dragoness smiled slightly. "So, in two... no, in three days you all will fly straight to Warfang." She ordered.

"But what about wyverns?" Zheek asked with disbelief.

"No need to worry about them, there will be none. I'll lure them to the north making them believe that you've headed there. I'll simply provoke them and escape far away." The black dragoness explained.

"And what if they catch you?" The fire breather asked, seriously concerned. Vixen just giggled quietly.

"Catch? Me?" She asked with note of disbelief. "Those wyverns will never catch a wind dragoness. I'm simply too good flier." Vixen assured him, but Zheek still watched her doubtfully.

"Are you sure about it? Last time, they caught you." The fire breather noticed.

"Last time was five years ago, I didn't know them. Now, I do. I know how to make them do exactly what I want them to do." Vixen argued confidently. She sounded like she was absolutely sure that her plan would work out, but Zheek had feeling that she was hiding some secret.

"I'm going with you." He declared. "Together we'll…"

"No, you can't. It's my duty and I'll fill it. Alone." Vixen refused confidently.

"I don't like this idea." The fire breather said with worries. "I don't want to lose you." He confessed.

"You shouldn't worry about me." Vixen assured him. "Listen to the voice of reason. Chance for them to catch me is extremely small. I'm much faster than they can imagine. And besides, this is the only way. If I don't risk a little, you'll never leave that forest." The black dragoness argued, in her voice, there could be felt a note of impatience.

"I'm not sure about it." The free dragon refused, unsure what to say. The black dragoness sighed deeply and smiled slightly with understanding. She was sure that Zheek would have more faith in her plan, but she wasn't really surprised about his reaction. After all, he knew that forest too well not to realize how dangerous it was. The black dragoness opened her jaws, as if she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure what. Then, she started singing.

"Sometimes, you need to be lost just to be found." She sung silently, as she stepped forward to the fire breather, their eyes met for a second, but Vixen turned away quickly with shy move of head. Watching her moving in graceful, melodious way, Zheek couldn't deny her sensuality. He enjoyed the view of gentle moonlight reflecting in her dark scales.

"You need to go to come back around." As the black dragoness stepped right next to Zheek, nuzzling his cheek, her tail wrapped around his neck. But there was nothing violent in that touch, it was gentle, warm. And first of all, suggestive. The fire breather's heart rate spiked suddenly.

"You need to set somebody free, for them to return..." She pulled the fire breather gently, so he turned his head at her, between them, there were only centimeters of cold night air, warmed by their breaths. Their sights met once more, this time for much longer. Zheek looked deeply into her dark green eyes with fascination.

"You live and learn." Vixen finished, smiling slightly, watching him carefully. The fire breather blushed intensively. He didn't realize that lacking any better argument, the black dragoness used her best trump card; femininity. And so, she definitely did succeed.

"Remember, three days and you all go to Warfang. Fine? And no matter what happens, no matter what anyone says, you all go straight there." The black dragoness asked with gentle, sensual voice, absolutely sure about her victory.

"I... I wanted to say that I..." Zheek started stuttering. His heart rate spiked, as he realized that it was perfect moment for him to make his confession. He really wanted to tell her something. Something that wanted to tell for weeks, since their very first meeting. He felt that he was ready, that it was the proper moment. "Vixen, I lo..." He interrupted in half of word, as Vixen gave him, lasting for several seconds which seemed to eternity for them, kiss in his lips. He watched her completely dumbstruck and the dragoness giggled childishly. He couldn't believe that she really did that.

"I don't know what you want to tell me, but not now, please. Once it's all done, you'll tell me everything you want to say, but not now. It's not a proper moment." The black dragoness interrupted him. Zheek watched her somehow sadly, though he knew that he'd tell it her one day.

"Fine." He agreed. The black dragoness smiled, content to hear that. "Just return to us, will you?"

"I will. Goodbye, Keezheekoni." She lied easily, smiling beautifully and watching deeply into his eyes. She nuzzled him with touch, which could hardly be called just friendly.

"Goodbye." The fire breather replied. Before he managed to do anything more, Vixen suddenly took flight, leaving aghast free dragon behind. In just several seconds, she disappeared in dense, dark forest.

For first several seconds, Zheek was standing still, completely aghast. When young dragoness was gone for couple minutes already, he twinkled several times and took deep breath. He could feel his heart hammering madly, as if it would break his ribs and escape his chest any second. "Did it really happen?" He asked himself with disbelief. "She... kissed me." He whispered silently, still shocked. Then, he grinned. "Yes!" The fire breather grinned. He jumped in the air and raised both his paws triumphantly. "I knew it! She loves me!" He shouted, not really caring, if any wyvern would hear him. "She loves me." Zheek was so happy. For last two weeks, his heart was full of apprehensions, but now it all was so crystal clear. Vixen didn't say it aloud, but he knew it. This kiss, her eyes... He could see that in her eyes. She loved him. Zheek just couldn't wait to meet her again, to confess her his feelings. Of course, he was scared about her, but he believed in her. She knew that she hadn't told him everything. She had some unrevealed plan of escaping wyverns. After all, she told him that she'd come back. They were going to meet in Warfang. "Wait, I've never been to Warfang!" He realized it. "What is it like? If Vixen plans to live there, will I accommodate there? I'm sure she'll remain in there, she has friends there. Will I be accepted? And what about Farady?" He asked himself with worries. "Whatever. Why would I care about them, once I have Vixen?" His doubts quickly disappeared. "And Farady will understand me. Who knows, maybe she'll even decide to live in there?" Zheek grinned and headed back to his home. He was walking with jumpy, cheerful step, feeling his heart leap in joy stronger than ever before. Neither coldness nor darkness of night could extinguish his enthusiasm, not even a little.

The black dragoness was flying madly for not less than half an hour already, trying to drown so many thoughts in her mind by intensive, endless effort. But she had to slow down sooner or later and her mind had to start filling with thousands thoughts.

"What was that?" She asked herself with disbelief. "I've... I've kissed him." The dragoness thought, not believing that it was really happening. "I was just playing with him, right? He was so bewitched... But it means nothing." She tried to convince herself. "The only reason that I was so... seductive..." It took her a while to decide to use that word. "It was achieving his support of my plan. Now nothing can stop me. I know that playing with him wasn't fair... Oh, why should I care, Zheek's not brilliant, but he'll quickly realize that I was just playing with him to make him promise. I know that he'll keep the promise, that's the only, only, only, only reason I did it. The only one." She repeated, as if it would change anything. "And he fell on that trick... not because he has some feelings towards me... He's just a young male, controlled by hormones, I could trick every his equal like that..." Then, the black dragoness shook her head with disbelief. "Why am I even explaining that? There are no feelings between us, it's just... Damn it!" She hissed angrily, trying to release her mind from all these thoughts. But it went hardly. In her mind, there appeared comparison heard once from Dante. "The others are standing faster than I'm running." Yes, that described her progress in clearing her mind perfectly. She sighed deeply, trying to calm her heart. "I like Zheek." She started. "He likes me, we're quite close to each other, as for the duration of our relationship, but only because I felt alone after what I've done and Crag's death. And he's really kind, he couldn't watch me suffer." The black dragoness was slowly summing up everything. "He's funny person, good companion, loyal friend, but lover? No." She refused. He's so... childish and young. He's naive, dull..." The black dragoness started enumerating, missing the irony of fact that she blamed someone for being childish when she was the one to behave like that all the time, not he. "And I behaved towards him so sedu... "She stopped her silent monologue for several seconds, considering next word. "Like I did, because I knew that he'd fall on that, not because I..." Then, she interrupted it rapidly. "Damn, just cut it out! There's nothing between us, there's nothing that should be explained!" She shouted in her mind. "When did I even start explaining myself again?" She asked herself with disbelief. The black dragoness sighed angrily. Changing subject of her thoughts was harder than she expected. She sped up once again, beating her wings both faster and stronger. Then, in her heart appeared some very disturbing feeling. It was longing.

"Will you forgive me, Sable? I'm not making this same mistake as Syrius, am I? I just hope you will forgive me not returning home. Your home." The dragoness rose her eyes and watched the starry sky with fascination.

"What have I done?" She asked herself with disbelief. "I've brought all the dragons here, perfectly knowing that this would happen... Death will be perfect price of my betrayal." She felt doubts filling her heart. "I don't want to die." She stated. "I really want to live, but... that's the only proper way. Not right towards Sable, but proper." Vixen watched beneath herself. She could see two oaks. She landed and watched them carefully. Those two trees were intertwined characteristically, literally spinning around each other, creating one, great tree. She knew that place, she had spent long time under those two oaks. Then in her mind appeared vision of that same forest many years ago.

Fourteen years earlier

A little being was laying on her back under two intertwined oaks. Her name was S... No, she was Vixen. Little dragoness... Dragoness! She was so proud to be able to call herself like that. She couldn't see her separate, spread wings and front arms since she was covered in thick, almost rectangular, made of leather coating, covering whole her body. But she could feel those. And that was such an amazing feeling! She already saw some of her new scales. Not those tasteless, pale green, harsh scales of wyvern, but beautiful, intensively black at back and red at belly, pleasant in touch dragon scales. And her eyes... Daddy once gave her mirror, so she could see her dark, green deep eyes. She could feel gentle power of wind focused in her lungs. It was so gentle, so warm and yet so powerful. She, six years old being, several months ago, just a little hatchling of wyvern kind, now proudly calling herself dragoness, felt that with her power she could change the world. Once her father would return, they would leave this forest and, together, bend whole the world to their own will. She would bring the wind of change. Because now, she felt the power she had lacked, she was fulfilled. Around her oaks. Her...The little dragoness giggled silently. She had reason to call these her, since she had spent hiding in shadows of those for last months, all the time of mutation, now, practically in the last stage. Her dad planned at first to do that in cave where it would be much safer, but she refused, arguing that it would keep reminding her about her home and parents' death. Anyway, around her, there was small ditch, filled with some strange, green liquid. It had very unpleasant stench, scaring off any predators who could attack her when daddy wasn't around. Thanks for some elixir of his, she couldn't feel it and she thanked ancestors for that, because she could see her father's lips curling in disgust every time he smelled it. It was kind of annoying, since she couldn't smell her dad when he was coming back with the dinner. She couldn't wait for him to return. Oh, she was so impatient! But how could she help it? She loved her dad! He would always stand by her side, look after her, entertain her. Thanks to him, she had forgotten about that Celeste Tribu where she had lost her parents. He could have done that with an elixir of oblivion, since he had one, but he didn't have to use those. All he did was giving her true, honest father's love, exactly this what she needed. The black dragoness... Dragoness, not wyverness, but dragoness! Anyway, she was laying on long, soft grass, watching the clouds. Then, she heard some steps. She jerked her head curiously and saw some shape enclosing. She grinned, as she recognized the newcomer. It was her dad. And who else could that be? The alchemist walked to her, put on the ground hunted deer and poured into ditch some azure elixir, which neutralized that terrible stench of green liquid protecting her. Then, he sat next to her and nuzzled his daughter lovingly. Little black dragoness giggled silently, as she felt his warm cheek against her scales.

"Hi, daughter." Her daddy whispered.

"Hi, dad!" The black dragoness replied. "How was your hunting?" She asked curiously.

"Quite well, but this deer was definitely the stubborn one. I swear, those animals are getting faster and faster." He sighed deeply. "How are you feeling? Does your chest or legs hurt?" Douten watched her with worries.

"No, no, it's fine. An hour ago it still hurt, but now it's fine." She explained. The earth dragon smiled slightly with relief. Wyvern to dragon elixir mutation was complicated and very advanced process, it was easy to commit a mistake. Lack or excess of just one of tens ingredients could appear to be lethal. It was first time for him to do this, so he had to be very careful about his little daughter.

"Can you stand up?" He asked, glaring at her carefully. Only her head was sticking out from thick coverlet. The last stage were scales, so if he wanted to see the effects, she had to simply stand up. The black dragoness sighed deeply and started standing up. Her father helped her, taking off her heavy coverlet and the dragoness felt creeps across her body when the cold wind blew. The alchemist smiled slightly seeing her scales erecting. Douten estimated her carefully. She looked quite well, only wyvern scales that remained were covering some parts of her tail and hinder legs, changing it would take him about week more, as he guessed. Then, he'd use last elixir for her lungs, so she could use wind without any danger and it would be done.

"How is it, dad?" Vixen asked. She spread her wings majestically and watched them with fascination.

"Hey, hey, carefully about those! You may strain them." Douten admonished her quickly, seriously concerned about her. The youngster put her wings down and watched deeply into her father's eyes, so lovingly scared about her. She hung her head sadly with disappointment.

"When will I fly?" The little dragoness asked curiously.

"Not yet. You need to wait until your wing bones harden. You'll have to spend a little time more on the ground. But not much, just one month." The alchemist promised. Vixen sighed sadly. "Sweety, if you tried flying right now, your wings could break, I could not catch you, something bad would happen to you." He started explaining and then, he kissed her cheek lovingly. Vixen somehow accepted that compensation.

"I'll set fire." Her father decided, once he saw that his daughter was content already. He turned around and went to their bonfire where were laying only several almost completely burnt branches, fuming gently. Douten took some dry sticks, put them and dry grass around them. Next, he took branch of some birch-tree, peeled off with talons its bark and put it on the sticks. Later, he covered it with several thicker branches. Once he was satisfied with the pile of wood, he took his old, worn flint, picked some birch bark and set it on fire. It was very easy to set on fire this characteristic, white bark with just several sparkles, so he quickly made bonfire burn. He breathed strongly so fire flared up even more intensively. Vixen, seeing her dad working, really wanted to help him. The black dragoness stepped silently behind her father, so he didn't even notice that she was there. She took deep breath and focused power of wind. She really wanted to show her father how good she was about her element already. Then, she opened jaws and released strong blow of wind. Or at least, she meant to do so, since she only coughed up great amount of blood and felt her head spinning. Douten turned around at her and saw her falling on the grass, desperately trying to take a breath.

"Vixen!" The little dragoness heard her father's shout, right after she hit ground with her head hardly. Vixen felt that her eyes were getting heavier and heavier, as she was watching her father running to his bag with elixirs and medicines. She tried to take a breath, but she could not. Every try ended up with only terrible, burning pain in her chest and this terrible feeling, as if someone poured water into her lungs. She couldn't know that it was blood from her own lungs, which couldn't withstand sudden blow of wind. She had no idea that her lungs needed hardening with the elixir, which her father kept for the very end of the mutation. It was true that she had been forbidden to use wind no matter what, but she wanted to impress her father so much that she had completely forgotten about that. Vixen's eyelids, heavy as if they were made of iron, closed slowly, despite Douten's begging shouts.

Vixen felt some pleasant smell. Those were some herbs, it was hard to describe those, since it wasn't just one or two, but composition of several, or rather, knowing her father, at least ten of those. She slowly opened her eyes. It was already dawn. She felt some liquid on her forehead. She raised her paw slowly and touched it. It was transparent. Guessing that it was water, pushed by thirst, she licked it from her finger. Then, she curled her lips in disgust. No, it definitely wasn't water, but some medicine. Then, she watched her chest carefully. It was all covered in wet bandage, most likely soaked with some kind of medicine, it was the source of that herb aroma. Her chest still hurt terribly, but she could at least breath. Then, she heard some silent, irregular snore. She jerked her head curiously. It was her father, trying to rest with shallow, restless sleep. Even though he was having nap, he looked nervous like never before. She tried to stand up, but she squeaked painfully, her chest still wasn't cured. This silent noise was just enough to wake her father up. Douten opened his eyes quickly and jerked his head. His eyes grew wide, as he watched his little daughter, who just giggled in response. Then, he hugged her strongly, tears danced in his eyes and flowed down his cheek.

"Vixen, you're alive." He whispered, so touched that he couldn't stop tears.

"I'm fine, daddy." Vixen assured him, smiling slightly.

"Are... are you alright? Does your chest hurt?" He stuttered, wiping his tear meanwhile. His daughter had no idea how scared about her he had been. Last four days when she remained unconscious, he had spent not eating, almost no drinking, barely sleeping. He was sure that such intensive bleeding of lungs would kill her. He even considered taking her to Teria, to medics, which could reveal all her plans about Vengantimos. He only rejected it because he knew that any dragon city was simply too far away.

"It hurts when I move." Vixen described. "Are you fine, daddy?" She watched her father carefully. Even a little hatchling could notice how miserable his state was.

"I? I'm fine." Douten stared at her, completely dumbstruck. He didn't realize how could Vixen worry about him, not herself. "Vixen, just promise me that you'll never ever more do something that I forbid you." He pleased.

"I'm sorry." Hatchling apologized. "I won't dad. I promise." The little dragoness whispered silently. Then, she felt her father's tear falling on her cheek. It was tear of joy, happiness, relief. Tear of love.

Now

Vixen fell cold tear flowing down her cheek. She touched it gently with talon and watched small drip carefully. She could feel her heart sink lower and lower. "This tear. It was real, wasn't it, dad?" She asked the shadows surrounding her. "You loved me. So many years ago, you truly loved me, dad. What had happened that you changed? Or maybe... Have you even changed? Have I turned from your daughter into just a tool or was it really love?" The black dragoness beaten her wings quickly, speeding up silently. "I have so many questions. There are so many things that you've never told me." She whispered. "I can't wait to see you, dad. We'll meet soon. Wait a week more, maybe even just several days ..." The young dragoness sighed sadly. She raised her head to watch both intensively glowing moons. It was cloudy night, but she could clearly see those. "Are you watching me from above, from your celestial home? When I stand before your door, will you open? Or was I... just a tool?" She whispered. All that replied her, was cold wind.


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37. "Names"

Vixen was hiding in deep bushes, watching carefully small stone gate. It was already midday, the sun was warming her black scales in very pleasant way. Since the last time she saw Sable, there passed already two days, but to her, it seemed to be eternity. She had completely cleared her mind about that happening. She couldn't let the nostalgia consume her. Little black dragoness heard characteristic crack and noticed some dust falling down from the top of the gate. Then, it slowly opened. From inside the cave, there appeared two wyverns. One of them, female, was wearing light, silver ornamented armor. She was most likely Vixen's equal with characteristic yellow scale in middle of her right paw. She had no idea why would she have scale of such a color. The other wyvern was twenty six years old male. Vixen didn't guess, she knew it. She knew Him. He hadn't any armor, He only was wearing two short purple swords, Lanzador and scabbard with some small dagger. It was Clavius. Vixen felt creeps across whole body, as her little heart started pounding madly, desperately trying to escape her chest. He was so close. Small dragoness somehow stopped herself from escaping from those bushes far away. In fact, even though she was dying because of fear, she didn't make any noise. She watched carefully two wyverns talking so quietly that Vixen couldn't understand them. She didn't want to risk enclosing to them to eavesdrop, it was pointless. She knew that young wyverness was supposed to send orders to the soldiers looking for her friends. She knew Clavius's habits too well, she perfectly realized that he was trusted messenger of the most important Verdad and Cobro's orders. After all, she had so many years to learn everything about him. Vixen had been watching them for already several minutes when wyverns stopped talking, young messenger was about to leave. That was the moment Vixen had been waiting for. She sneaked out of bushes silently and jumped to Clavius. When prince realized that she was coming, he was already laying on the ground and she was on him, blocking all his limbs. Young wyverness tried to attack her, but Vixen pressed her talons against Clavius's throat so there sipped several drops of blood.

"Don't do anything or I'll kill the prince." The wind dragoness warned the wyverness. She used word prince especially for young messenger, so she could know that Vixen perfectly realized who she had attacked.

"You insolent..." The wyverness hissed madly. Then, Clavius chuckled silently with so ominous to Vixen amusement.

"Don't you fear me?" Principe asked with such a voice, as if their situation was completely opposite. In fact, that was the way he was feeling. Thought of his toy having an advantage against him was simply beyond his imagination.

"Aren't you the scared one?" Vixen replied with question.

"Let him go!" The young wyverness shouted. The black dragoness narrowed at her coldly.

"Just shut up. It's between me and him and if you try anything, I'll kill him." She ordered her with firm voice. Clavius watched little dragoness carefully.

"What do you want, youngster? You want to save your companions with this desperate move? Or is it just old good revenge for all that I did to you in last five years?" The prince wondered, absolutely calm.

"You give her new orders." Vixen pointed the wyverness with her tailblade. "All the soldiers are going west, because dragons were seen there." She ordered with demanding, self-assure voice. The prince laughed silently.

"So confident, so cold. You surprise me with your mask, kid. But the harder mask you wear, the softer you are inside." Clavius chuckled. He could hear her heart hammering. "Am I wrong, So..."

"Don't use this name!" She interrupted him and in her eye, there danced tear. "I'm not that wyverness anymore! I am Vixen, the wind dragoness!" She shouted. She wished she never heard her former name.

"No, you're not Vixen, just like you're not Storm." Clavius refused. "You are this same person as fifteen years ago, just a little hatchling lost in forest, abandoned by her own family. You're a puppet in the hands of fate, unable to change anything. You are a piece of puzzle that fits nowhere, whose only future is to suffer and perish. You can't escape, kid. Not from me." The prince grinned, as he watched Vixen's paws shaking, her eyes widely opened, as fear was overwhelming her. "You've lost your mask."

"Send the wyverns to the west!" Vixen ordered desperately.

"No." Clavius refused. "You've lost your mask, youngster." He repeated ominously, as he grasped Vixen's paw, the one touching his throat and lifted it slowly. Vixen didn't even oppose. The prince grinned. "Now, you can run straight to your Sable." He suggested. The black dragoness rapidly released herself from his grasp, jumped away and started flying, disappearing into the forest.

"North? That's interesting." He noticed, as he watched the little dragoness heading north. Then, he turned at the messenger. "Go back to Cobro and told him to fly north quickly, Oroescama. Next, send orders to the soldiers to head north and find dragons there." He ordered.

"Are you sure she's not just a decoy?" The messenger noticed.

"She's not. She meant to kill me and now..." The prince chuckled. "She fears me too much not to escape straight to her friends." Clavius explained. Then, he straightened his wings and took flight, leaving the young wyverness behind. The prince couldn't see Vixen and grin on her face. She had to admit that she was scared to the death. Her fear wasn't fake at all, even if she wanted, she wouldn't withstand Clavius. But it went exactly, as she planned. She knew Principe simply too well not to predict what he'd do. Now, she had to only buy her friends as much time, as she could.

Three days after Vixen's leaving dragons, at the midday, Dante was sitting at the cliff at the top of waterfall, which was hiding dragons' cave. He was watching the clouds in silence, when before him, there flew Tris. He couldn't have heard her because of waterfall's roar, so he was quite surprised by her appearing. The fire breather smiled slightly and landed next to her mate. Then, she nuzzled him lovingly.

"Hey, sweetie. Is something bothering you?" She watched the earth dragon with worries.

"Yeah." Dante agreed. "I hate this atmosphere of waiting." He explained.

"The only question is what we are waiting for." Young alchemist agreed. The fire breather sighed deeply.

"For wyverns to move." Dante shrugged, not bothering himself with even trying to rhyme. He wasn't in mood for that. "Maybe Vixen will return here to help us with all these wyverns?" He wondered.

"Right, Vixen..." Tris sighed sadly. She missed the black dragoness, after all those two were getting along very well. "What do you think about her?" She asked carefully.

"She betrayed us, that's out of question. Maybe not for her own profit, but because of fear, but still. Anyway, I hope she'll redeem her guilt, that she does something after which we all could trust her again. She's in a pitiful situation now. "

"I'm worried about her." Tris confessed. "All alone in this forest, she may be in danger."

"Sable assured that she would be fine, most likely already beyond wyverns' territory. He knows her well and says that she'll try to redeem her guilt with her life, so I'm more worried about ourselves than her." Dante noticed. "To be honest, I thought that Zheek would keep arguing with Sable about her, but he kept his word. That's unexpected from fe... free dragon."

"Yes, Zheek was mad at Sable at first. Or rather, he still is. But as he says, he knows the power of words." Tris agreed. "There's something between those two, don't you think? I mean Zheek and Vixen." She noticed.

"Yeah, with no doubts." Dante confirmed, smiling slightly. Between them, there fell silence. The couple was watching the beautiful landscape before them, but not able to enjoy it as much as it would deserve for.

"I can't wait to leave this place. It's lovely, but I feel somehow... disturbed." The fire breather noticed and her mate chuckled silently. Word disturbed was kind of putting it mildly, wasn't it?

"Well, at least we have a plan. All we need are wyverns to increase distance from us a little and then, we'll leave. Basing on our knowledge about them, Sable estimated that we'll have an opportunity to do so in less than week. Of course, it won't be mad rush, because wyverns could notice us then, but we'll gradually enclose and cross the border. If it succeeds. No one can guarantee that and if wyverns find us, we're in trouble." Dante explained.

"So we're taking quite a risk, aren't we?" Tris noticed.

"Yes, but much lesser one than if we remained here." The poet agreed. Two mates sighed deeply simultaneously.

"So how's your training going?" Tris asked curiously, changing subject of conversation. She often watched her mate training with Farady, but not always.

"Quite well. Within last two weeks, I've learnt more than in my whole life. Well, some of Farady's tricks are dirty ones, but those can save life. She's quite talented fighter and..." Then, two dragons noticed the lightning dragoness flying to them. "Speaking, of whom, hi, Farady." Dante smiled slightly to her and Farady replied with coquettish grin. Tris noticed that, electrified her with sight and free dragoness's smile turned into more innocent, before Dante even noticed.

"There you are. Let's go inside, there's something that Zheek wants to tell us." Farady said. Tris sighed deeply. She really disliked caves, even so big. Besides, she really enjoyed time spent only with her mate. He had been training a lot lately and they rarely were leaving cave, so they hadn't much time only for themselves.

"Fine, let's go." The fire breather agreed sadly. Three dragons flew down the waterfall and entered the cave where everyone was already waiting for them. Seven dragons sat in the circle. All eyes focused on Zheek.

"So, what do you want to tell us?" Ivory asked curiously.

"Three days ago, I met Vixen not so far away from here." The fire breather started and all the dragons watched him with disbelief. Sable's heart skipped beat, as he was asking himself in mind what she was planning. "Well, she told me that she had plan to get us out of here. Right now, she's playing a decoy, luring all the wyverns to the north, so we can escape straight in direction of Warfang. Vixen will quickly lose them at the north and she'll join us in there later." Zheek explained. All dragons smiled with unhidden relief.

"Vixen, that little..." Ivory grinned, glad to finally hear some good news. "I guess that all we can do now is biding her fair winds and leaving this cursed forest, don't you think?" She noticed.

"Finally." Dante grinned with satisfaction.

"Yeah, I can't wait to go back to home." Tris agreed. "Oh, I'll hug her so strongly once she's back!" The fire dragoness promised. Then, Viola looked at her mate. When everyone around him was talking joyfully, he was standing still, not believing the words he had just heard. He wasn't surprised, but scared. His paw was shaking gently. Something in his eyes terrified Viola.

"Sable, what's wrong?" She nuzzled his cheek with worries and placed paw at his chest, so she could feel his heart beating madly.

"Vixen's not going back." The lightning dragon said loudly. Everyone fell silent and watched the lightning dragon with disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" Zheek asked, completely dumbstruck.

"She plays a decoy for us. Knowing her, wyverns have already headed north expecting us to be there. But she doesn't mean to come back. She has no plan to do it. There's no way for her to escape alone, when she means to have wyverns right on her trail to keep pursuing her." Sable explained. He was mad at himself. He knew that Vixen would want to live as long, as she'd able to redeem her guilt, but he did never consider her self-sacrificing for them. He couldn't believe that he was this blind to miss such a possibility even if now, it sounded terrifyingly logical.

"You mean... She will die?" Zheek asked with disbelief. If wyverns caught her... He recalled all that Vixen told him about Clavius. He couldn't let that wyvern touch her anymore.

"Yes." Sable confirmed sadly. "If we do nothing, she'll die." He said, determined.

"You have a plan." Viola didn't ask, but stated fact. She knew that sight of his even too well.

"All of you, you get out of here. It's your chance. I'll go after Vixen and bring her back. I've dismissed her so I'll bring her back. It's all my fault." The lightning dragon decided.

"We're not escaping without you." Viola refused. "We'll wait for you."

"Viola..." Sable looked deeply into her eyes, hoping that she'd change her mind.

"Sable, she's right." Ivory noticed. "If Vixen is hardly wounded, you won't manage to both heal and escape from wyverns' lands. We'll wait for you closer to the border, so escaping will be much easier and if something goes wrong, if Vixen's wounded and you won't be able to heal her for yourself, you'll know where to look for us. Stop playing as if it all was only your problem. I know that you banished Vixen personally, but still, she's not only your friend, but ours as well. Give us a chance to help." The white dragoness agreed. Sable nodded with understanding.

"You're right, Captain. So, where will we meet?" He asked. Two free dragons looked at each other, whispered something and nodded.

"In our old home." Farady suggested. "It's in halfway from here to the border, wyverns most likely already have forgotten about it."

"It will be just perfect." Dante agreed.

"Indeed." Sable agreed. "Could you sign it at this map?" He wanted to take Crag's map, but then, Zheek stopped him.

"No need, I'm going with you." He declared. The lightning dragon watched him with surprise at first. "Don't refuse, you'll need my help." Zheek sounded really confident. Sable just smiled slightly.

"I don't refuse, you're welcome." He said. "So, we have a plan. Our two is heading north, the rest of you go to siblings' old house. Wait for us not more than a week, if we're not back before then, it will mean that we had to choose another way. So, shall we go?" The lightning dragon looked at all his companions.

"Give us five minutes, there's something we need to do." Zheek pleased. "Farady?" His sister nodded and siblings disappeared in one of rooms.

"Let's pack our stuff." Ivory suggested and all the dragons went to their rooms, looking for their equipment. There wasn't much of it so it took him two, maybe three minutes and all of them gathered before the entrance. Sable was wearing all three swords; two katanas and his father's red blade. Then, before them, there appeared Farady and Zheek. They were wearing armors, but strange ones. Each of them covered only one half of head, chest, arm and torso, Zheek's right and Farady's left. Their silver armors were covered with beautiful ornaments representing their elements. But those had something more. At forearm of each of them, between ornaments, there were hundreds little, sharp spikes. Just touching those could hurt, not speaking of hitting with those. These spikes were covered in some liquid: poison, as Sable guessed. All the dragons looked at two siblings with disbelief. Zheek grinned and chuckled.

"This is our name known to wyverns. Viento..." He started.

"De la Muerto." Farady finished. Now, watching those two, all dragons understood that Viento de la Muerto that they'd met already was just masquerade of those two youngsters. Zheek's voice abilities and Farady's lightning speed; now it was so obvious.

"With death themselves on our side, we shall not fall, don't you think?" Dante noticed.

"Yeah." Zheek agreed. He stood right before the exit. "Are you going, Sable?" He asked.

"Give me a second." Sable pleased. Then, he turned to Viola, hugged her and kissed her passionately. They remained connected like that, enjoying the moment for several so short to them seconds. Then, her lips stopped touching his and their eyes met, looking deeply into each other.

"I thought that we'd never more separate. Not after whole this mess with Venganza." Viola noticed sadly. Sable smiled, but there was nothing joyful in his face expression as well.

"Me too. Look out for yourself. And Tris, she's just a kid." Sable pleased silently.

"Hey, I heard that!" Young fire breather shouted. Two mates just smiled slightly.

"I will. Promise me that you will return." Viola begged. She hated an idea of separating.

"I will return. Before you'll notice, I'll be back at your side where's my place." Sable promised.

"If only I was already healed completely, I'd go with you." The ice dragoness noticed with remorse.

"Maybe it's even better that you'll stay with the others? I won't have to worry about you." Sable wondered. Viola watched him with surprise.

"Hey, I'd be fine." She noticed, quite indignant with his overprotective behavior .

"I know, but it not really changes fact that I would keep worrying about you, if you went with me. Especially after what happened in Celeste." The lightning dragon noticed smiling.

"It's exactly this same I will feel when you leave." Viola agreed, grinning. Then, she kissed him once more. "You'd better go, sweetheart. Vixen's waiting for you."

"Goodbye, Viola." Sable whispered.

"Goodbye." Viola replied. Two mates kissed once more, Sable walked to Zheek and two males took flight. Then, next to the azure dragoness, there appeared Ivory.

"You still can't fly." The medic noticed. "I can carry you." She offered.

"Maybe I should do it?" Dante suggested, since he was the only male that remained there. Viola giggled silently watching almost twice younger than her poet.

"Don't you think you're a little small for that?" She noticed. Dante wanted to argue, but the ice dragoness didn't let him do so. "I appreciate intentions, Dante, but leave it to Ivory." She said. The earth dragon sighed deeply, but he agreed.

"So, let's hit the road." Farady stood before all dragons and left cave. The second group of dragons left the cave heading in opposite direction.

Cobro curled his lips in disgust, as he heard blood-freezing female shriek. He would never think that any throat could release scream of such an agony and in that very moment he was proved to be wrong... The wyvern raised his sight to watch two moons, as he was flying above the surface of dark forest. His eye pupils were widely opened, absorbing even the slightest ray of moonlight. Then, green ocean beneath him started waving to disappear in next several seconds to remain only short grass. That field wasn't really big, it had only about twenty meters of diameter. There was only one tree, old, leafless oak, most likely dead already, but standing still. The prince landed next to that tree, couple seconds later, at his sides appeared four wyverns, his personal bodyguards. Cobro found in the darkness his brother and stepped to him. As he was already right next to him, he saw Vixen. The little dragoness had both her paws spiked to the ground with one blade of Lanzador and hinder legs and her tail with another. Her wings were broken, twisted unnaturally in such a way that those would move pushed by the slightest blow of wind, causing more and more pain.

"Hey, brother." Clavius greeted him, grinning, with drips of blood covering his whole body, even face. At his back there were scabbards of not only Lanzador, but also additional one, containing the ornamented dagger -his royal sword. "You've come to see the show, huh?" He grinned ominously.

"Is it really necessary?" Cobro watched the little dragoness with something like pity. She had tens wound covering whole her body, from tail to head. At her forehead, there was long wound from which blood was flowing right into her eyes, covering her vision. Her blood was mixing with tears. She was breathing hardly and quickly. Her heart was pounding like little bird's which had been caught in a cage.

"If I don't give her motivation, she will never tell me what we need to know." Clavius explained his brother and turned at his prey. "So, where are your friends?" He asked her.

"Gone." Vixen replied with voice characteristic for someone who had been just crying. In Clavius's paw glowed electricity and young dragoness screamed in agony as thousands volts penetrated her body.

"Insolent child, isn't she?" Clavius noticed, grinning. It was an amazing fun to him. "But we have time. Sooner or later, you'll tell me what I want to know."

"I see that you really enjoy your element." Cobro noticed skeptically.

"You have no idea." The younger of brothers watched with fascination his paw glowing with lightning. "This is perfect power for me. I can do so much with it."

"Just don't overuse it." Cobro suggested.

"No worries, I won't. I'll be gentle. Or at least try to be." Clavius chuckled ominously. "So, where have we finished, Vixen?"

It was already next, the fourth day since Vixen left. Neither of two dragons had slowed down for even a second. Keezheekoni and Sable were flying madly, begging in their minds that they would make it in time. The lightning dragon jerked his head and watched the sun behind him. It was already midday and still, they found nothing, not even a trace of Vixen.

"This armor of yours..." Sable started and Zheek jerked his head curiously. "Where did you get it from?"

"It's my legacy; those armors belonged to my parents years earlier. From what I know, it has at least two hundred years. I have no idea who and where forged it." The fire breather answered.

"And the poison?" The lightning dragon wondered.

"I found this poison in library of Teria the White City. It stops heart action gradually and absorbs all the magic, not letting it close wounds. We have antidote, but it works much slower than the one you used to help Vixen. I'll have to ask Tris for her version."

"An excellent choice." Sable agreed. "She's a talented alchemist. Speaking of which, you know that if not her, you would have killed Vixen at our first meeting?" The lightning dragon said resentfully and watched his companion carefully.

"It wasn't me, but Farady!" Zheek refused quickly. "Besides, we didn't intend to harm anyone. When you told them not to touch that flash, Farady that is, I thought that no one would do it." The fire breather sighed deeply. "We were watching you and if none of your ideas worked out, we'd give you an antidote. I didn't do this right in that moment only because I didn't trust, if you'd keep the secret, since you're not entirely a dragon." Zheek explained himself and Sable hissed angrily.

"Racist." Former Vengantimo snorted. "I am a dragon." The fire breather watched him carefully. "If I'm not dragon, then neither Vixen is." Sable noticed, knowing that using that argument against him would be the best choice.

"It's more complicated than you say." The fire breather disagreed.

"But simpler than you think." The lightning dragon riposted harshly. Zheek opened jaws to say something, but he didn't know what, so he just closed mouth.

"If you say so..." He didn't fully agree, but neither wanted to argue about it in that moment. "You expected me to tell truth, didn't you? Don't be angry about that." He said and Sable smiled, agreeing. "Sorry, I just… I'm holding a personal grudge against wyverns and your similarity to them, still wyvernish accent… If I'm ever to treat you fully as a dragon, it will take time." He explained.

"I understand." The lightning dragon smiled weakly. "I've been put through much worse things in Warfang, I'll get on with that." He assured.

"So, do you want to see something extraordinary about this armor?" Zheek offered changing the subject.

"Not counting the poisoned arm?" Sable asked and his companion nodded. "Show it, then."

"Watch carefully." Zheek whispered. He took deep breath and released wave of hot air, which covered whole his armor. Several seconds later, its ornaments started glowing with intensive, red light. It looked as if whole his armor was covered by flames, because of which, he had to look even more scary as Viento de la Muerto. Sable felt creep across his body imaging group of wyverns seeing gentle, red light and hearing his voice.

"What do you think about it?" Zheek watched him companion carefully.

"That's impressive." Sable admitted. "Are those markings very hot?" Sable asked curiously.

"No, not at all. They're only warm, if they were too hot, they would burn me, right? Farady has this same, but her reacts for lightning, so her looks even more effective with whole this noise of sparking. It doesn't give any additional damage, but it's only psychological weapon." The fire breather explained. After his words, there fell awkward silence between two dragons. They kept flying forward, each of them lost in his own thoughts.

"Why did she do that?" Zheek asked with disbelief. "I don't understand. Couldn't she just escape?"

"Vixen has changed. She's not this same careless child from Venganza's times anymore. She grew up in time of last five years. And I missed it all." Sable sighed deeply. "I.. I didn't help her when she needed me, I didn't even notice her suffering though I know her so well. How could I be this blind?" He asked, mad at himself.

"There were so many things happening around that you could have missed it, especially when she was hiding it." Keezheekoni noticed. "If you had time, which you could spend only with her, you'd definitely see this, but with so many things on your head... It's not your fault."

"So should I leave whole burden of this situation on Vixen's back?" Sable asked. "No, I failed her. I can't refuse that. We both failed each other and everyone around us. But this is the last time. Once we bring Vixen back, I will not let such a situation happen ever more." Sable promised.

"So you forgive her?" Zheek asked, even though the answer seemed to be obvious already.

"I wonder, if she forgives me." The lightning dragon replied. Zheek smiled slightly, hearing that, and watched his companion. He found Sable honorable, courageous, not leaving anyone behind and, first of all, able to admit that he made a mistake. Zheek didn't really like Sable, but neither hated him. Besides, he felt some doze of respect towards him.

"Do we have any plan, if it comes to fight?" The fire breather asked.

"No, not really. We'll come up with some before we get there." Sable suggested.

"Fine." Zheek agreed silently.

It was already evening. Vixen was watching the setting sun carefully with her little, scared eyes. Oh, she wished so much to be sun, escaping every time when all the power was lost, only to rise again once more and retrieve all that belonged to her. Falling only to rise. It was such beautiful vision, wasn't it? Why did she have to fall only to suffer more and more? She had at least her eyes. Covering her vision with her own blood already bored Clavius. If only Vixen could say this same about torturing her.

"I should have made a poison for myself." That thought crossed her mind for thousandth time. But she knew that she couldn't die yet. She had to play a decoy and buy her friends the most time she could. Vixen was thinking like that when she heard Clavius standing up and walking to her. She watched her nemesis carefully. She never considered killing him; it was just beyond her.

"So, shall we continue?" He asked, grinning ominously. He had made five minutes of break to talk with his brother a little.

"I will tell you nothing." Vixen warned.

"Oh, really, kid?" The prince watched her doubtfully, with grin all across his face.

"Try me." The black dragoness suggested with voice lacking any confidence, almost stuttering and only trying to sound cocky.

"With pleasure." Clavius agreed. "So, where should I head to find your friends? Where are they?"

"As if I knew. I have no..." Vixen didn't finish her sentence, but screamed in agony, as Principe spun Lanzador piercing her feet and tail.

"Don't make me repeat myself." The wyvern said with angry voice, filled with threat. Then, he took little dagger from scabbard on his back and pierced her tight with it. Vixen closed her eyes. In her narrows, there appeared painful tears.

"North..." Vixen lied. "Go... northern east..." She stuttered, breathing hardly. Clavius grasped dagger and took it out of her flesh letting another stream of her blood flow. Next, Principe spun little blade in his paw and pierced dragoness's left lung. Vixen squeaked painfully. She simply had no strength to scream any longer.

"That was fast. Far too fast." Clavius noticed. "We've wasted already too much time. By the way, you perfectly know that the pain you're enduring right now is nothing, but if I do this..." As speaking, Clavius spun dagger slowly. Vixen screamed painfully, spitting out drips of blood, hundredth time surprised that she still could release voice any louder than only pitiful squeaks. "Then it really hurts." The prince noticed. Vixen wanted to scream again, but all she did was coughing up lots of blood from her pierced lung. Her wide open, filled with fear eyes followed drips of red liquid.

"Oh, don't worry about it. You won't die. Yet. We're not going anywhere so one lung will be just enough for you." Clavius assured her. He waited for several seconds for her to say something, but heard no reply. The little dragoness only cried silently, squeaking painfully every time she moved.

"So, where have we finished?" Clavius asked carelessly. She hated that question. "Right, I remember now." He grinned ominously as his dagger appeared back in his paw and spun quickly.

"There are two kinds of pain; mental and physical. Every dragon, even hatchlings endured some miserably small amount of both of them. The question is, which pain is stronger, which leaves worse wounds and scars? Everyone I know, well, the most of them, would say that mental one is more painful. Its wounds can't be seen, neither healed in normal ways. But no one who says that has ever felt real pain. Broken heart? Tch... That's nothing. What is broken heart compared to my broken wings and my limbs spiked to the ground? It's nothing compared to pierced, burning with pain, drowning in my own blood lung. What could mean the greatest aching of heart towards what I'm enduring at this very moment?! All those wounds, this blood of mine... But...But...I can escape from this pain. As someone told me once, there's a limit of pain beyond which, all that remains is a joyous smile... I can escape from physical pain, close myself in shelter of mind, this cold ivory tower called madness. I think I'm already reaching it. Slowly, a step to step, I'm just about to escape…

But my mind... It aches so much... Principe... He did something very, very, very... so very wrong! Not only with my body, but... soul as well... I cry every night. All my once beautiful dreams are now bunch of nightmares. Just recalling his name feels like being pierced with thousands cold blades. But not through flesh, no... It felt somewhere... inside. Deep, deep within shreds of what I used to call heart. My poor, dilapidated shreds of one day's heart. And this loneliness suppressing me! There is no one to live for in this great world. My family gone, Crag dead, all friends betrayed...My spirit is being consumed by this disease of loneliness and suffering, piece by piece, aching more and more. I asked, which pain is worse. And what's... What's the difference?! Both of them, together, have turned my life into great series of tears and cries rolled into one! Does it really matter when each of those could have brought me to such a state?! Whatever... I don't care about it. All I care about is to protect Sable and others as long as I can. Or just die quickly. Death... Viento de la Muerto… I'm ready, just come. I've been ready so many years ago. Please. I don't want to stay here. I've already cried out all my tears. Come, I beg you! Come and take me! Why won't you just finish this?! What are you waiting for?! You want to hear more scream, see more suffering?! You've got far too much of it! So many years and still not enough?! Is it really so entertaining?! Is there any point of whole this suffering?!

Answer me!"

"You... you... Why won't you answer?! Just let me go! Do you hear me?! Let! Me! Go! Just... Just! J...just... le... le... let me... d...i…"

"Die."

The sun was already setting. Cobro yawned deeply and leaned against old tree in the middle of field, trying to have a nap and Vixen's painful shouts and squeaks weren't helping him at all. Then, win blown stronger and he felt some disturbing smell. It was dragon, but not Vixen, he had already got used to her smell. It was someone else, he knew it from somewhere. In that moment, about five meters above ground, at the verge of forest exactly behind Vixen, Clavius and four guards standing behind them, the prince saw two katanas whirling in the air. Then, he felt terrible pain in his legs, and fell on the ground.

"What the..." He hissed angrily and realized that someone threw in him two straight scabbards so strongly that his legs hurt terribly. "Clavius, watch out!" He shouted. Meanwhile, Sable already passed by one pair of guards, caught his swords and slashed two others before they managed to come up with any block. Sable was about five meters from Vixen when Cobro, leaning against tree, was trying to stand up. And then, he heard disturbing noise of metal piercing wood, as two katanas appeared in the tree in such a way that they were blocking Cobro's throat, making him unable to move. He tried to take those swords off, but they were stuck. He cursed silently. Meanwhile, Clavius caught both halves of Lanzador and connected them, just in time to avoid Sable's horizontal swing with great two-handed sword of his father. Sable and Clavius crossed their blades just two meters from the little dragoness who was watching her friend with widely opened eyes. Clavius stepped back and Sable pushed forward to him.

"You're dead. I will kill you, pathetic scum, right now." The former Vengantimo hissed angrily. His eyes, red from blood flowing through them, were glowing with pure hatred.

"So many years of pleasure. She won't forget this to the end of her short, miserable life. I promise." Clavius giggled and the lightning dragon howled madly, attacking. At that moment, two guards turned around and meant to attack Sable's back when one of them disappeared in stream of fire, burnt to death. From between trees, there appeared Zheek. He jumped to second wyvern and swung his paw. Wyvern leaned back so free dragon only touched his throat with armor. But only touching was just enough to tear wyvern's neck into shreds, killing him instantly. Young dragon ran to Vixen and watched her with widely opened eyes.

"Vixen... What they did to you?" He asked with disbelief.

"Zheek... You've come."The little dragoness squeaked painfully and in her eye, there appeared tear. "Idiots. What are you doing here? You should be already on your way to Warfang." She noticed with blaming voice. She wished that by dying she could avoid telling them her last secret. Her true name echoed in back of her mind. She wished Sable had just gone to Warfang and never learnt it. But now she knew she had to do that.

"As if I'd leave you behind. Come on, we have to get you out of here." The fire breather wanted to lift her, but then, Vixen groaned painfully and closed her eyes, trying not to cry.

"You won't take me from here, any moving would kill me in no time." The little dragoness said. "Sorry, Zheek. Just go, save yourselves." She wanted them to just get out from there.

"No!" Keezheekoni refused firmly, almost shouting at her. "Sable will heal you." Then, he turned at his companion."Sable!" He called him. But Sable didn't hear him. He couldn't hear him. Former Vengantimo was fighting madly, stabbing and slashing, desperately trying to kill Clavius, who barely managed to defend himself from the rain of blows. This dragon wasn't this same person, as just several hours before. He wasn't this medic, looking after his friends, protective , loving and quite self-possessed. No, he was Vengantimo, corrupted with hatred, controlled be vengeance, with only ambition to shed the blood of those who he found guilty of suffering of his friends.

"Come on, Sable? Why are you here? Why to care about such a pathetic scum, that little vile traitor?!" The prince of wyverns shouted. "She deserves to suffer!"

"You will suffer the pain you've never even dreamt of." Sable promised ominously. He slashed vertically and the wyvern blocked somehow the powerful swing. Then, he jumped back and released lightning from his paw. Sable quickly straightened his arm and countered it with his own. Two lightning users watched each other carefully.

"Where did you learn it?" Former Vengantimo asked hatefully. Principe only chuckled.

"Ask your Primero." He replied, watching dragon with amusement.

"Sable!" Zheek shouted again. Sable narrowed his head at two dragons and his eyes grew wide, as he realized what was their real purpose of facing those wyverns.

"How could I have..." He scolded himself. Then, he quickly stepped back to Zheek and Vixen, stuck his sword in ground and started healing little dragoness. "Cover me." He ordered. The fire breather stood before wounded dragoness and made defensive pose.

"And who are you?" Clavius asked curiously.

"Look carefully." Cobro, who had just released himself from between Sable's katanas, said. "Half silver armor glowing with red light. Touch which could slit throat." The prince smiled, watching Zheek's glowing armor. "This is our Viento de la Muerto. It's been quite a masquerade, kid. And after all these years, you foolishly revealed yourself." He explained, as he hid Sable's katanas in scabbards and wore them on his back.

"Oscuro will be pleased. So, will you attack, or should I kill him?" Clavius asked and free dragon hissed angrily.

"No, we're leaving. I don't want to face Cuarto in this state." Cobro refused. "We're going, Clavius."

"But..." Younger of brothers tried to refuse.

"No objections. We have time. At least allow him to farewell his little friend." The heir to the throne interrupted him. "Soon, we'll meet again, Cuarto, my young cousin." Then, he bowed, wearing on his back two scabbards. "Thank you for those blades, I'll surely make use of them." After these words, two wyverns took flight leaving dragons behind. Zheek ran to Vixen and crouched next to her.

"How is she?" He asked, hoping to hear any good news.

"Terribly." Sable confessed. He didn't want to lie Zheek or give him illusory hope. In fact, Vixen looked terrible. Her paws, feet and tail were pierced by swords. She had broken wings and crushed left arm. Her left lung was pierced with blow which missed heart and aorta for only several centimeters. Besides, she was covered in tens of flesh wounds, many of them very nasty ones and Sable could see numerous bruises, which most likely meant that she had also serious internal injuries.

"Idiots, both of you." The black dragoness whispered. "Just go, save yourselves. If you escape right now, you'll flee safely to Warfang and wyverns won't even enclose to you." She begged them. "It was my duty. After what I've done, it was the least I could do for you."

"Don't ever speak as if your life was worthless." Sable replied. "Don't try to lie me and especially not yourself."

"Maybe it's not, but..." Then, Vixen coughed hardly with blood. She felt that her heart was slowing down. She knew that she was dying. Clavius went too far in torturing her this time with no healing for so long. "But it's already lost." She finished, breathing hardly.

"You lie! We'll save you, Vixen!" Zheek shouted. The little dragoness watched him carefully and smiled slightly. She would giggle childishly, if only her lungs didn't burn so much.

"I'm already envy about the dragoness..." She coughed with blood which trickled down her lips. "…that you'll choose as your mate." She finished. "You hopeless optimist." She whispered, smiling.

"Save such words for once I heal you and we're going back to Warfang." Sable suggested. He could barely stop tears. "I'm sorry, Vixen. I know that my words won't miraculously heal you, but I am so sorry for what I have done to you. It's all my fault." He whispered painfully. Vixen just smiled slightly with understanding.

"It's not …It's not at all…Sable... I... should have paid for… for what I've done to… you…" It was already terribly great effort for little dragoness to speak. "I need… to tell you something."

"Not now, you're only making healing you harder." Sable interrupted her firmly. He kept healing her stubbornly, even though he saw no effects of his tries. It looked as if he was only delaying the inevitable.

"My real name..." Vixen took deep breath, which felt as if she poured into her lungs melted iron.

"Not now!" In narrow of medic's eye, there appeared another tear. "I'll heal you and then you'll tell me everything!"

"My name is Sonrisa." The black dragoness confessed. Sable's eyes grew wide and tears flown down his cheeks. This stroke him completely. Sonrisa? His... His sister? Impossible... Could it be truth that for so many years, she had been hiding this from him? That he didn't figure this out? He lived with his sister so many years and he didn't even recognize her? But, as she told him that, he involuntarily knew that it was truth. She couldn't lie. In the bottom of his heart he knew it.

"Sister..." He whispered with disbelief. The lightning dragon couldn't stop tears already. Vixen, or rather, Sonrisa, just smiled slightly.

"Thank you...for... these tears." She whispered with weak, dying voice. She had so much to express with that simple sentence. She thanked for that he read through her plans, came for her. That he fought for her and yet, controlled himself, didn't let the dogma of Vengantimo posses him. She wanted to thank him for that he tried to save her life, desperately meant to heal her, believing in success despite her critical, hopeless state. She would love to thank him for that she could see him once more, even though she was already sure that she'd never be given such a gift. She was so thankful to him for that she could tell him her real name. But first of all, she wanted to thank him for that he forgave her and that his love to her, his sister, survived all these years, deep in his heart. For that he never truly hated her. She had so much to express with that simple sentence. And Sable understood it all. How could he have not understood her? He was her brother, after all.

"Sister... I'll save you. I can't lose you. Not again." Sable whispered and the little dragoness raised her paw slowly to touch his lips with her red from blood fingers.

"Shhh..." She interrupted him smiling blissfully. "Thank you... for that..." She coughed silently, but Sable didn't interrupt. "For that I...could see... your... tears. For those tears have already… saved me." At her lips, there danced so characteristic for her, childish and yet filled with sorrow, smile. At her cheek, there fell Sable's tear, right next to hers. "Brother." She whispered. And then, her eyes closed, a small paw slipped from his cheek leaving a red line of blood on it. Then, her heart ceased to beat.


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38. "Fall of the lightning"

Spyro and Flameus passed by the gates of Warfang, leaving behind the great walls. Both of them straightened wings, preparing for long flight to the west.

"I haven't been to Greenhold for years." Spyro started. "In fact, I think I was there only once or twice. I not really remember this city."

"It's not really big, but I like it." Flame said. "Dragon Shores have some... charm. I love that sea. When I was there with other guardians, we often were spending time at the shore. Duties first, but there was also time for pleasures." Flame moved his head meaningfully and Spyro nodded. Two dragons took flight.

"Speaking of guardians, I wonder where did Tremor go." Spyro said. Flame only shrugged.

"As if I knew. Something very important must have happened. Anyway, I doubt, if Tremor will be happy once he discovers that we've already left." Flame grinned. "He'll miss the whole fun and will have to remain in the city."

"I wonder how Candice reacts once he's back." The purple dragon smiled slightly, imagining that.

"I bet that he could already return, but he's making up a story which would satisfy Candice, that's why it's taking him so long." Both dragons laughed aloud.

"To be honest, I wouldn't be very surprised." Spyro agreed. "By the way, Ray disappeared rapidly as well, didn't he?" He recalled what he had been told earlier.

"Those two always were... original. You know, they would always do something that no one could expect." Flame explained.

"Just like their race in the dodging room?" Spyro recalled. Two dragons laughed silently.

"Exactly. You should have seen his face when he woke up in hospital. It was like: What am I doing here?" Flame grinned. "After that happening, elders seriously reconsidered choice of Tremor as the candidate for the guardian. They had plenty of doubts."

"Seriously? For something like that?" Spyro asked with disbelief and Flame sent him skeptical sight. "I know that it was very reckless, but still, they already knew this side of his personality, didn't they?"

"Yes, they did, even too well. Ardora claims now that everything would be much better if Douten was the guardian of earth." The fire guardian explained.

"Douten as the guardian? He would be taught by Cynder and he hated her from the bottom of his heart. I doubt, if this could work out." Spyro disagreed.

"Don't forget that Tremor and Douten's situation were exactly this same. Both of them had lost their parents because of Cynder and Douten was hiding his true feelings perfectly. When the candidates for elders were chosen, no one suspected what could be in his heart."

"Then why wasn't Douten chosen? He had talent of magic, his father was hero." Spyro asked curiously. For the first sight it looked like Douten would be better guardian.

"Right before the final choice, there were three candidates for candidates left ." Flame smiled slightly, as he said that. "Gaia, Douten and Tremor. The choice was very hard, so they decided to send two of them. Thanks to Ardora's stubbornness, Douten remained in town. From what I've heard from Ray, Ardora really wanted to keep such talented dragon as Douten in her city and came up with idea of making him elder, even if after whole mess with Venganza, she really regretted that choice and even tried telling us it wasn't her idea at all. And speaking of Douten's magic, I still hold an urge against Ardora, Blizzard and Itara for not informing the guardians about it. No one knew it except for them and Ray's father." The fire guardian explained.

"That's interesting." Spyro never heard how Tremor became the candidate for the guardian and he never wanted to ask the earth guardian about it. Tremor avoided talking about Douten since Venganza and it wasn't a big surprise. "So, when will we be in Greenhold?" Spyro asked.

"Well, it will take us one and half or maybe even two weeks." Flame explained. He jerked his head to watch Warfang getting smaller and smaller with every beat of their wings. "It's going to be a long journey." He noticed.

"Indeed." Spyro agreed. It was very hard to refuse.

Ray was walking slowly between trees with his wings restrained. Between those, there was hidden great and old tome, "Forbidden Alchemy", which used to belong to Douten. Sun was shining intensively and leaves above him weren't dense at all, so sunrays were warming his scales in very pleasant way. But he didn't feel any pleasure, only stress. He hissed angrily, as some branch scratched his right shoulder where he had a long wound made with an earth bullet. He had to admit that Tremor wasn't someone that could be underestimated, especially not in place where he had natural advantage. The elder passed by last trees and saw some rock high to his eyes, from which, there were slowly flowing drips of water. It was little spring called Well of Tears. Indeed, this stone, with its specific shape, looked like laying on the ground, crying dragon. Ray stood next to the spring and looked around carefully. He didn't wait long.

"You've come earlier." The dragon heard voice of older of Sombras and felt creeps across his body. What if there weren't just two wyverns? They could distract him and then the third one would kill him. In such a case, they wouldn't need his family anymore. Ray focused quickly and started sensing, if was there any suspicious electromagnetic field. If hidden enemy's heart would beat just a little faster than normally, he'd easily notice him at this distance.

"No worries, there are only two of us." Scarred Sombra, carrying two tied up youngsters at his back, promised. He easily guessed what the elder meant to do. He dropped them on the ground and several seconds later, there appeared younger of wyverns and Lyrian. She had tied front paws and wings so walking wasn't easy for her. She had also tied mouth, just in case she tried to use her element.

"It's just morning, dragon. We told you to come at the midday." The young Sombra noticed.

"There were... complications. I didn't want to risk waiting any longer." Ray explained himself.

"What complications?" The scarred wyvern watched his wounded shoulder carefully.

"I was followed by the earth guardian, but he's not a problem anymore." The lightning dragon refused.

"Did he return to Warfang?" Sombra asked for more details.

"No, I couldn't explain myself when we met. I killed him." Ray confessed. Lyrian's eyes grew wide open, as she watched her mate with disbelief. With this simple sight she asked him about so many things. The elder lowered his sight sadly to avoid answering her. Both wyverns watched the dragon, aghast at first, but then, the younger of them burst out with laugh.

"Dragon killing the dragon guardian! The one who Brute, Mar and Fuerzo failed to kill for themselves! That's so..." He giggled triumphantly. "Wow! Nice job, traitor!"

"That's interesting. I guess king won't complain about dragon guardian's death." His older partner agreed with his partner, but his voice was much colder, filled with despise. As the elite soldier of king, he couldn't understand a dragon killing his own guardian. "So, do you have the book?" He asked.

"I do." Ray spread his wing and took great tome to put it on the ground. "Now, release my family."

"First, the book." It wasn't request. The old wyvern was deadly serious about his words.

"What will be the guarantee that you will release them once you have the book?" Ray noticed.

"True. Niño, could you?" The scarred Sombra ordered.

"Understood." Younger of Sombras took his blade and with quick swing slashed ties of Livia, leaving not even scratch at her gentle, yellow skin. "Go to your daddy." The wyvern suggested her. Hatchling stood up quickly and ran to her father to hug him with tears in her eyes.

"Daddy..." She whispered.

"I'm here." Ray nuzzled her cheek lovingly. "Come on." He suggested and his daughter hid beneath her father's wing.

"Now, the book." The scarred Sombra ordered.

"Release Maggie first." The elder said with negotiating voice. Old Sombra sighed deeply.

"Maybe I just slit her throat and then we continue?" He suggested. Ray watched the wyvern hatefully. He knew he couldn't argue in such a situation. After several seconds of silence, when the younger wyvern wanted to press his sword against Maggie's throat, Ray grasped the book and threw it to wyverns.

"It's yours." He muttered. "Now, release Maggie and Lyrian." The lightning dragon demanded.

"Niño, release her." The older of Sombras ordered. Niño swung his blade quickly and little ice dragoness ran straight to her father. She jumped to him and hanged on his neck, nuzzling him lovingly. He smiled to her slightly, whispered something, and hatchling dropped him and stood next to her sister. "Now, Lyrian." He ordered, as a lightning dance between his teeth. Then, scarred Sombra smiled.

"I'm afraid I can't give you her." Old wyvern explained.

"What?" Ray stepped forward and hissed angrily, as he felt that his blood was boiling.

"Don't misunderstand me, it's nothing personal. I only want to have guarantee that you won't tell anyone a word about what have happened." The scarred Sombra explained. "So, we'll take her to Celeste Tribu. She will be there safe and sound, unless you tell anyone what have happened here. Understood?"

"Let her go!" The lightning dragon shouted madly, cursing in his head meanwhile. He couldn't believe that it was happening. He was already so close and yet... He stepped forward and opened his jaws in which could be seen characteristic glow of electricity. In that moment, Niño jumped to Lyrian and pressed sword against her throat.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." He warned. "One move of paw and she's dead." The wyvern giggled. Then, he released his grasp a little, the sword was about twenty centimeters from her throat. At Ray's lips danced slight smile. Classic mistake, often for young and feverous kidnappers, absolutely convinced about their victory. Before scarred Sombra admonished him, from the ground, there appeared an earth pillar which hit the sword, raising it to the sky. Lyrian used this moment to hit Niño's belly with elbow and jump back from him for several meters. He wanted to turn around and attack her, but Ray was already standing right before him, forcing him to block. Scarred Sombra also wanted to kill Lyrian, who was already leaning against tree and trying to release herself from ties when before him, there appeared wall of earth spikes. The wyvern jumped out quickly and from between the trees, there appeared an earth dragon who attacked him immediately.

"Perfect timing, Tremor!" Ray shouted to his friend, as he blocked Niño's blow. The guardian chuckled silently.

"I told you that it would work out, didn't I?" He noticed, as he tried to stab Sombra's throat. Unfortunately, the old wyvern was very fast and if Tremor didn't cover his arm with hard rock, he'd have most likely lost it already.

"Well, I guess that we'd better shut up right now and fight, shall we?" The elder suggested, grinning. Tremor replied with loud laugh.

"Yeah, I guess so!" The guardian agreed and focused on his opponent. In fact, any longer conversation could appear to be a deadly mistake, since those wyverns definitely couldn't be underestimated. Tremor knew that from the very first seconds of the duel. Old Sombra was very fast and precise, all his blows aimed at vital point. His attacks weren't regular, but chaotic and yet, perfectly planned. Reading his movements was extremely hard, many of gentle, seemingly involuntary movements meant to distract him. If Tremor stopped focusing for even a second, he could pay for that with his life. Just like when he fought against Sable, but then it was only sparring. In mind, he thanked for that he had dueled once with Sable, the best sword master he knew. Well, the only good one he knew, in fact... Thanks to this, he could block himself relatively easily and counter attack, sometimes even scratching the enemy. He knew that this duel was very exhausting not only for him, but that Sombra as well. The wyvern had made a mistake or two, letting the dragon leave shallow wounds on his sides. Tremor didn't give up on any chance of attack and both fighters had to be maximally focused, if they wanted to watch the sun rise at least once more. The guardian narrowed at Ray to see how was he doing. In fact, the lightning dragon was fighting quite well. He wasn't winning, but he was neither losing to the opponent. Ray kept using lightning, forcing Niño to jump away for all the time, keeping him at relatively safe distance, sometimes attacking with talons. Ray forced wyvern to step away from Lyrian who was only three meters from the wyvern, desperately trying to release herself from her tight ties. After another stream of lightning, Ray jumped to Niño and attacked with talons, swinging horizontally. Sombra blocked it, but not in this same way as normally. This time, he used all Ray's momentum to push him at the side, trying to slash his back. Ray, surprised, managed to shield his back with tailblade, but he fell on the ground right behind Tremor. Niño grinned and turned around to attack Lyrian, defenseless because of ropes binding her. Her eyes grew wide, as she saw him stinging, aiming at her heart, with devilish smile written all over his face. But then, between her and Sombra, there appeared yellow flash. Lyrian's eyes grew wide, as time stopped for her and she could see her mate taking that blow with his left side of chest. She watched red blade appearing at the other side of his body, heard silent, painful groan and saw lightning dragon flying for next two or three meters with sword piercing him to fall on the ground hardly and roll through high grass. Then, Lyrian narrowed at Niño, expecting him to attack. But he only groaned painfully, watching with disbelief three deep wounds across his chest. He fell on the ground, dead. Lyrian's sight focused again on her mate, whom she couldn't see at all because of this high grass.

"Ray!" She screamed pitifully. Both Tremor and scarred Sombra narrowed at whole this happening, interrupting fight. After just a second, they resumed duel. But the earth guardian was a little faster. He tried to slash wyvern's throat and attacked at this same moment with earth pillar. Sombra barely blocked Tremor's paw, but didn't manage to avoid a spike, which wounded his side, seriously this time, but still not deadly. Scarred wyvern jumped back and stopped, narrowing at Douten's "Forbidden Alchemy" laying next to Tremor.

"Don't even think about it." The guardian warned him and Sombra only snorted silently.

"It's been honor to fight you, the dragon guardian." He bowed slightly and then, flew away, leaving dragons and his dead companion behind. He knew when to pull back. Tremor grasped the book, threw it on his back, hiding it between his wings and ran to Ray. Next to him, there already were both youngsters and Lyrian who had already released herself.

"This is not happening! This is not happening!" Tremor screamed in his mind. This recalled the words he had heard from Brute once. "Don't you get it? Everyone, who's close enough to you, dies." He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts, but those kept returning. "My parents, Gaia, Flush, Ray... You can't die, Ray!" He screamed in his mind. The earth guardian rushed to his friend, fighting with all these thoughts madly. He appeared next to the lightning dragon and watched him fearfully. Ray was laying on his left side. He didn't move at all, the guardian couldn't even notice his chest raising or falling, which would mean that he was at least breathing. Whole left side of his torso was covered in dark blood. There was so much of it that it looked as if somebody had silted his throat. The guardian watched the sword, piercing through his body, stuck in it in half of its length.

"He... He's dead." Tremor whispered with disbelief. Lyrian watched her mate with tears flowing down her cheeks. She started crying silently. Meanwhile, the hatchlings who had been watching all the fight hidden in bushes, ran to their parents. They wanted to see their father, but Lyrian stopped both of them with wings.

"Don't watch this." She pleased with sorrowful voice, hanging her head sadly. "Your father died protecting us." She whispered, wiping out a tear. And then, Tremor, to everyone's surprise, chuckled silently.

"Why are you smiling?! He's... He's..." The ice dragoness stuttered and electrified guardian with her sight, which seemed only to amuse the guardian even more.

"You can breathe already, Ray." Tremor suggested. And then, Lyrian's eyes grew wide as her mate inhaled deeply and opened his eyes, sending her insolent smile. He barely stopped himself from bursting out with laugh. Then, two youngsters jumped to him, hugging his neck strongly. Very strongly.

"Daddy!" Both of them shouted joyfully.

"What the..." Lyrian whispered with disbelief.

"You should have seen your face, Lyrian." Tremor grinned and two males laughed aloud. "That was nice one, Ray!" The guardian congratulated.

"But sword and blood..." Lyrian was obviously dumbstruck.

"Look carefully, it pierced his shoulder, missing chest just for centimeters." Tremor explained.

"Yeah, it hurts like nothing in my entire life, but it won't kill me." Ray continued. "And blood isn't mine, but that wyvern's." He looked at dead wyvern laying several meters from them. "The most of it, I'd say."

"Idiots, both of you." Lyrian muttered angrily, as she realized that they'd tricked her. Disbelief at her face turned quickly into annoyance. Two males chuckled silently. "We have to return to Warfang the fastest we can." She noticed.

"True." Ray agreed. He wanted to stand up, but once he moved his left arm, he only hissed painfully and fell back on the ground. "They were from Celeste Tribu, which means Sable and others are possibly in serious troubles." He noticed.

"Should I carry you?" Tremor suggested, watching with worries his friend's effort.

"No, no, I'll be fine." Ray assured. The guardian sighed deeply, he could expect such an answer from his proud friend. "I shouldn't take this blade out, as I guess?"

"Of course not! You'd only make the bleeding more intensive and you could damage something while taking it out!" Lyrian scolded her mate for such a suggestion. Then, she smiled slightly. "You proud idiot..." She whispered lovingly.

"Fine, so we'll fly to the Warfang and then..." Ray tried to stand up again, but he slipped because of pierced shoulder painfully. "For ancestors' sake!" He yelled painfully.

"I'd better carry you, don't you think?" Tremor suggested. Ray sighed deeply, knowing that he hadn't really big choice.

"Whatever." He agreed reluctantly and Tremor took him on his back. Meanwhile, Lyrian took Maggie and Livia on her back and "Forbidden Alchemy" in her paws and dragons took flight, heading straight to Warfang, which wasn't very far from Well of Tears. Dragons were flying quickly, they had to deliver the news the fastest they could.

"We'll be in Warfang at the sunset, if we keep this pace." Lyrian declared. "So, you asked Tremor for help after all, didn't you?" She watched her mate carefully. Two males only laughed, recalling their meeting.

"No, not really." Ray disagreed. "You see, when I finally came to the place where was hidden that book, it appeared that I was followed by Tremor." He explained.

"Well, not without... aggressive negotiations, but..." Tremor smiled meaningfully to the lightning dragon. "We came up with plan of both rescuing you and keeping the book safe." The guardian finished. "But looking at Ray now, I think we forgot about the details of the last part." He added after several seconds.

"Tremor, sorry for that I haven't gone to you in the first place." Ray apologized. "I was reckless and decided not to trust guardians, which could have terrible results." The lightning elder said.

"It's fine. You won't repeat your mistake, will you?" The guardian watched his friend.

"No, I won't." Ray confirmed. "By the way, thinking of our plan now, it worked perfectly." The lightning dragon refused. "We're all alive, we have Douten's book and I have a little souvenir from Sombras." Saying that, Ray poked gently sword and hissed painfully.

"Souvenir?" Lyrian watched him skeptically.

"Yeah, once medic take this sword out of my body, I'll hang it on the wall in our house. I won against Sombra. That's something worth remembering." The lightning dragon explained.

"But not in the bedroom." Lyrian decided.

"Come on..." Ray begged her.

"No." The ice dragoness refused and her mate rolled his eyes with annoyance.

"I'll persuade her sooner or later." Ray whispered to Tremor silently.

"Of course." The guardian agreed with irony. The lightning dragon watched him carefully.

"Are you being sarcastic?" He narrowed his eyes at Tremor.

"No, I wouldn't dare." The guardian refused sarcastically and Lyrian, who heard whole dialogue, only laughed aloud. Ray sighed deeply and electrified his friend and mate with sight.

"Yes, yes, very funny..."


	40. Chapter 39

Chapter 39. "I'm sorry."

This same day when Tremor and Ray faced Sombras, once sun already danced through almost whole sky, just an hour from hiding beneath line of horizon, in one of city parks of Warfang, beneath old willow tree, there was sitting just five years old fire breather. Hatchling had his eyes closed, as he was focusing. Or rather, only trying to focus, since his companions didn't make this any easier. Especially Arriate, who lied on her back right before him and watched Flush carefully from beneath, jerking her head curiously.

"Why are you…" She started.

"Don't interrupt him." Ñeque interrupted his sister. "I want to see him using magic."

"Will we wait long for it?" The little lightning dragoness wondered, still watching the fire breather carefully.

"As if I knew." Ñeque shrugged. "Flush, hurry up, I want to see you destroying something!" Then, the fire breather sighed deeply and opened his eyes, which were glowing intensively at first, but faded in several seconds.

"Magic is not for show." Flush repeated, watching Ñeque.

"Why?" Arriate, still laying beneath him, asked. The fire breather, surprised that she was there, startled. Then, he hung his head to watch straight in her eyes.

"Because mom says so." He explained.

"But your mom keeps showing off with your magic." Arriate noticed. "She uses it more often than her own ice. She does it every day in hospital."

"Yeah, her eyes keep glowing like yours just a moment before." Ñeque argued. He had no idea that Ivory was releasing minimal amount of magic through her eyes involuntarily.

"And do you remember how we were stuck in Academy because it was raining heavily?" The lightning dragoness recalled. "Your mom made a shield protecting us from water, so we didn't have to wait for it to stop."

"She did it once or twice." Flush argued.

"But it was showing off." Ñeque riposted.

"No, it wasn't." The fire breather disagreed.

"Flush." Arriate called him and hatchling lowered his head to look deeply into her eyes. "Won't you do it for me? Your best friend?" She gave him the cutest sight she could. Her father would always fall on that, muttering something about inherited from mother dark magic in meanwhile. "Please…" She begged. After several seconds, Flush rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Fine." He agreed. After all, his mother allowed him to show his magic to Arriate and Ñeque. "But I'll need a moment. In silence." He watched the lightning dragoness meaningfully. Arriate, still laying beneath him grinned cheerfully. Then, she rolled away and stood up.

"So, bro, how about a little race?" She suggested. Ñeque just shrugged.

"Why not?" He agreed. "To this tree and back." He suggested, pointing tree about one hundred meters from them.

"Yeah, so let's go!" Arriate jumped in the air, gaining by surprise two or three meters. Ñeque took flight quickly as well, easily catching up with his sister. She could be the lightning user, but he was stronger and, because of that, faster than her. At least he believed so. When two siblings started flying next to each other, neither of them could get advantage.

"You can't win!" Ñeque shouted, as he started pushing forward.

"Really?" Arriate asked skeptically. She sped up was well, not letting him overtake her. They reached the tree, Arriate flew around it from left and Ñeque from right. They barely avoided falling on each other, the ice dragon flew only several centimeters above his sister. As the second half of race started, both of them were flying much faster. Arriate started overtaking her brother, so he sped up. Then he was about to overtake him, so the lightning dragoness had to accelerate and so on. They were enclosing quickly to focusing Flush.

"First who touches him, wins!" Ñeque shouted, grinning, since he was winning.

"Just say that I won!" Arriate suggested. Both youngsters started slowing down. They've been pushing too madly, losing far too much strength to keep their rate. But Arriate slowed down more than her brother, so just ten meters before Flush, her brother finally overtook her. Ñeque jerked his head and grinned to his sister absolutely convinced that he won. And then, he fell on some invisible wall painfully and next, fell half meter down to the ground. Ñeque watched completely dumbstruck before him, wondering what was that. It was Flush, or rather his magical barrier, which the ice dragon broke with his own head. Flush, surprised with sudden pressure, opened widely his previously closed eyes and watched his friends dumbstruck. Arriate seeing whole that situation burst out with amused laugh, landed next to fire breather and placed her arm on his shoulder.

"I won." She noticed, cheerfully. Meanwhile, Ñeque stood up and turned around with his back to sister and friend, resentful. He didn't say a word, but hung his head, not sadly, but angrily. Arriate watched her brother, concerned. She stood next to him and her brother showed his back to her.

"Ñeque." She called him, but he didn't reply. "Ñeque..." She pleased. The ice dragon didn't say a word. Arriate jumped before him, but he quickly turned around. "Ñeque, come on..." She knew that he was angry at her for such unfair victory. The ice dragon didn't say a word, only snarled angrily. Then, lightning dragoness jumped on the ground before her brother and caught his paws, so he couldn't turn around. Their sights met.

"Ñeque, please..." Arriate whispered.

"I want to be the ice guardian." Ñeque said and his sister watched him, lacking an idea what he implied.

"Everyone does." She noticed.

"Exactly!" Ñeque burst out angrily. "And how can I compete with dragons from whole world, if even my younger sister..."

"We're twins!" Arriate interrupted him.

"I hatched first." The ice dragon argued.

"Ten minutes earlier." His sister riposted, watching him skeptically. She hated being called the younger of them.

"Whatever. How can I compete with all these who want be the guardian, if I lose to you?" Ñeque noticed. Arriate only grinned cheerfully.

"It's not a shame to lose to future lightning guardian." She watched her brother with amusement. After several seconds of silence, he smiled as well.

"I guess you're right." He agreed after several seconds, but didn't sound really convinced. Then, they heard some steps behind them. All three youngsters jerked their heads curiously to see group of five ten-years old dragons heading to them.

"Oh, there you are!" Zap smiled, as he watched hatchlings. He, Torch, Zealous, Sierra and Tundra stood before them. All of them were already ten, so they were much higher that Flush or his equals, but the three of them didn't feel suppressed at all.

"I told you that they would be in park." Sierra noticed. Zap jerked his head curiously at the earth dragoness.

"Did you? I don't..." Then, he felt that Tundra kissed his cheek by surprise.

"I've got you." The ice dragoness said and all dragons laughed aloud. Well, almost all, not counting Zap, who blushed slightly.

"Oh, poor..." Torch watched the lightning dragon with amusement.

"Don't even start." The lightning dragon interrupted him harshly, only causing another burst of laugh from his companions.

"Anyway, are you going with us to the forest beyond the town?" Zealous asked three hatchlings, as everyone stopped laughing, which took them a while.

"Well, aunt Stella told us not to leave the city without any adult." Ñeque noticed.

"Yeah, Mrs. Candice told me exactly this same." Flush confirmed.

"Oh, come on, you're going with us." Torch argued. "Besides, we'll just take a walk and be right back, before anyone notices that we were gone." He promised.

"And our parents may be angry at you a little, but they'll understand." Sierra noticed. "Especially my dad. Once he returns to Warfang, of course." All five of older dragons watched three hatchlings. Arriate just shrugged and before Flush managed to argue, decided.

"So, we're going." She agreed.

It was already quite dark, when two guardians were sitting at the city walls watching red sun carefully. Stella sighed deeply. She was really tired with whole that day.

"Where are these youngsters?" She wondered. Candice, sitting right next to her, just shrugged.

"Well, I can understand kids... But that pebble brain..."

"Tremor?" Stella asked, even though the answer was obvious.

"And who else? He has left city for already five days and all that I know is that he doesn't know when he will return. And he didn't tell me it by himself. No, why should he?" The ice guardian rolled her eyes in annoyance. "He sent me a message by some passerby." She explained, resentful.

"There had to happen something important, if he didn't..." Stella argued.

"Important? And what could be that important that he didn't even tell me where and why is he going?" Candice asked. The second dragoness only shrugged.

"Calm down, Candice. If he left so suddenly, he must have been in great hurry. Otherwise, he'd already be back. Besides, it may have something to do with Ray. He disappeared suddenly as well." Stella argued, but the ice guardian still seemed to be unconvinced. "Candice, do you love Tremor?" She asked.

"Of course, I do!" Candice replied immediately, surprised with such a question.

"Would you entrust him your life?" Stella watched her friend carefully.

"Without a doubt." The ice guardian confirmed.

"Then why do you doubt now?" The lightning dragoness noticed. Candice watched her surprised for several seconds. Then, she sighed deeply.

"I'm worried about him." She explained herself. "This is one of these moments when I have absolutely no idea where could he be. I know that he'll be fine, he's the guardian after all, but somewhere in my heart I feel... disturbed. He's such a moron." Stella smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I know this feeling. I remember how Infernus followed Atroz. Oh, I so badly wanted him to be at my side, so I could keep an eye on him." Stella recalled. "Anyway, do you have any idea where else kids could be?" She asked.

"No, we've checked every place they could go to." Candice shrugged helplessly. "Unless they're in the forest."

"Oh, we'll have to have some serious conversation with those kids." Stella noticed. The ice guardian nodded slightly.

Meanwhile, the group of eight youngsters, completely unaware of fact that they already were in troubles, was walking some very wide paths in forest. Those had several meters of width, so four dragons could walk next to each other without any problem. In front, there were four females, males were walking about meter before them.

"So, this was the second time today." Sierra said.

"Your second, I have already three today." Tundra noticed.

"Not just two?" The earth dragoness noticed disappointed.

"The third one was in park." Her sister recalled.

"Oh, right..." Sierra agreed sadly. An incidental listener would never guess that twin sisters were talking about kissing Zap.

"So, how was it today in academy?" Arriate, walking between Tundra and Zealous, asked the purple dragoness curiously.

"Oh, it was funny. That bully who you keep annoying, Shade, started getting on me. And so, I slapped him strongly. This noise…" Zealous explained, smiling slightly.

"Oh, you should have seen his face when he was hit." Sierra said. "He looked at her completely dumbstruck, with beautiful three scratches made by her talons..."

"I can imagine that." Arriate giggled silently. Then, Zealous squeaked, surprised, and swung her tail, aiming with side of tailblade at Torch, who had just tweaked her hinder leg. But the fire breather quickly jumped back, avoiding her not without a problem. The purple dragoness jerked her head at Torch, who grinned insolently.

"Annoying, isn't he?" Arriate noticed.

"A little." Zealous agreed. "But sometimes, he's really funny." She smiled slightly. "Like now." She whispered. Then, the purple dragoness stopped, and pretended that she was following with sight a butterfly which flew right before her. Three dragonesses kept walking, Arriate watched her with little surprise. But Torch, talking with Ñeque, didn't notice it at all. Then, he felt that someone slapped his cheek quite strongly with side of a tailblade. The fire breather, dumbstruck, watched Zealous who grinned insolently and ran back to other dragonesses.

"You know why." The purple dragoness said to the fire breather.

"Ouch." Torch hissed painfully, as he touched his cheek. It wasn't gentle blow.

"Oh, poor Torch." Zap said with sham pity, laughed silently and so did four females. Neither Ñeque nor Flush could help smiling as well. Then, Flush sped up to appear right next to Arriate.

"Let's go forward, I want to tell you something." He whispered. The dragoness nodded and two hatchlings started walking before the rest of group. Zap and Torch started watching those two conversing silently. Then, the lightning dragon looked around, disturbed.

"Something's wrong?" Ñeque asked with worries. He didn't like that sight.

"I think I've felt somebody." Zap explained. Then, he shook his head. "Whatever. So, Torch, what do you think of..." And then, he interrupted in half of sentence, as he felt some presence again, this time ten times stronger than before. It was someone right before them, someone big, adult. He could feel his heart beating in excitement. But it wasn't positive feeling, but somehow dreadful. As if...

"Arriate, Flush! Watch out!" Zap warned two hatchlings. Both of them glared at the lightning dragon with corners of their eyes. Terrible mistake of theirs. Then, from trees before them, there jumped out a wyvern. Zap's eyes grew wide, his talons stuck deeper into the ground, as he wanted to jump to the hatchlings and protect them. But he knew he would be far too late. Sierra, Zealous and Tundra squeaked, surprised, as in their minds, there appeared a memory from years earlier. In Torch's mouth appeared first flames.  
The wyvern raised his sword with characteristic, dark blade, about to decapitate Arriate. The lightning dragoness watched the blade enclosing to her throat, paralyzed by fear. Then, she saw around herself azure aura, which created before her a transparent shield. With corner of eye she caught sight of Flush with his eyes glowing intensively, just like his mother's when she used magic. She couldn't believe that he did it so fast. In park, it was much harder for him and now less than a second... The shield blocked strong blow making loud, unpleasant cracking noise and pushing sword back above the assassin, but magic was crushed by that powerful slash. Flush felt strength leaving his body and he fainted. But before he fell on the ground, the wyvern was already slashing again. Arriate felt someone grasping her tail and she and Flush were dragged back by Zap, who had used lightning to appear right behind youngsters rapidly. Tundra caught unconscious Flush and Zealous helped Arriate keep balance. Zap, throwing youngsters away, fell on the ground, right before the wyvern. He closed his eyes, expecting deadly blow. Just a second later, he heard noise of metal hitting stone. He realized that he was still alive, so, not considering it really, he quickly jumped back. Then, he saw pillar of earth and ice made by twins, which had protected him. Blade made it through ice, but stopped in half of earth and went stuck. Wyvern wanted to take it out of pillar when both Zealous and Torch attacked the assassin with fire, forcing him to jump back without his blade. The wyvern landed several meters from youngsters and hissed angrily. Zealous watched him carefully. He was adult, but not very old, equal to her mother or even a little younger. He was wearing light armor covering partly his chest, arms and head. At his side, there was scabbard for sword. She thanked ancestors in his mind for that oppositely to Vengantimos, he hadn't gauntlet shooting needles.

"Just like five years ago." Torch noticed.

"Don't even remind me." Zealous pleased with annoyance.

"What's the plan?" Sierra asked her friends. All youngsters were watching carefully the wyvern, waiting for him to attack.

"Zap, you take Flush, Arriate and Ñeque out of here. Go for guardians, guards, anyone and bring them here. We'll stop that wyvern here." Zealous decided.

"But..." Zap tried to argue.

"No time for this, Zap!" Torch admonished him. "You're the fastest of us and Arriate and Ñeque will only stand in way! And someone must call parents." The fire breather argued. The lightning dragon nodded and took quickly Flush on his back.

"Arriate, Ñeque, let's go." He said firmly. Three dragons took flight. In that moment, wyvern released his sword and jumped in the air, trying to attack Zap, but then, he was attacked from ground with all four elements. He rapidly dove avoiding all of these and landed exactly in middle of four surprised youngsters. He knew that he had to finish them quickly to catch up with other hatchlings. He swung at Zealous. Thanks to the miracle, Sierra managed to shield her with stone pillar. Tundra shot at him with an ice spike, but he leaned beneath it and jumped to Torch, trying to sting his throat. Despite youngster's jump back, wyvern would succeed in killing him, if not Zealous, who shot lightning in his back in that very moment. It couldn't kill him, but because of sudden pain, he barely missed Torch's throat. The wyvern tried to slash again, decapitating dragon, but then, Torch slipped on sheet of ice created by Tundra and fell on the ground painfully, right under the blade, again, avoiding death by miracle. It definitely was his lucky day. Especially since Tundra meant to freeze ground beneath the wyvern, not her friend. In moment when Torch fell on the ground, next to him appeared protecting earth pillar and Tundra and Zealous forced wyvern to jump back with ice and fire. The wyvern, while avoiding those elements, swung his blade blindly in direction of Torch. He managed to slash the fire breather's leg deeply. The young fire dragon screamed painfully, but he quickly stood up and appeared next to his friends. The wyvern hissed angrily, as he noticed that his right leg was scratched with one of Tundra's ice spikes. Youngsters watched their enemy hatefully.

"Your enemies are we." Zealous said with fiercely with anger glowing in her eyes. The wyvern watched her carefully. She took elements and color of scales after her father, but this sinister sight, such a will not to win, but to simply kill the enemy… She definitely was Cynder's daughter. He had only heard of this sight in Terror's of Skies eyes, but he could imagine it in that very moment. The assassin sighed deeply. He hoped that he'd manage to slaughter all four of them in that very moment. He realized that it would take him a little longer. But only a little.

Zap with Flush on his back, Arriate and Ñeque were flying madly through the forest for already at least ten minutes, he had lost sense of time much earlier. The lightning dragon somehow managed to remain cool-headed. The incident with Venganza five years earlier hardened him quite well. Still, he could barely stop his paws shaking. Ñeque, as his name would suggest, appeared to be both strong and courageous. To Zap's surprise, he remained perfectly self-possessed, didn't say anything, he only was quickly, but regularly, beating wings. Arriate was definitely in the worst state. She was terrified, all trembling and down her eyes, there were flowing quickly tears. Oppositely to her brother's, her flight was chaotic, irregular.

"Arriate, calm your flight down, you're losing lots of energy." Zap warned her.

"How am I supposed to calm down?" The little dragoness asked desperately. "That was an assassin! He almost... Look what he did to Flush!"

"Thanks to his shield both of you are still alive. Flush has lost all his energy to do this, he's only unconscious. Don't worry about him." Zap assured him. Then, he wiped out one of Arriate's tears. "Torch, Zealous, Sierra and Tundra will be fine as well, if only we all calm down and fly the fastest we can. But to do this, you need to calm down and make your wings beat regularly. Understood?" Zap said with warm voice. The little dragoness nodded and took deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"What's going on?" They heard sleepy voice from Zap's back.

"Flush!" Arriate and Ñeque shouted simultaneously. They were really happy that he was back.

"We're escaping that wyvern and going for help." Zap explained tersely. And then, he felt some disturbing presence. Again. From his left, there appeared wyvern, with this same armor as previous one. But Zap was already waiting for him with powerful lightning charged in his mouth. He released it, exactly in wyvern's chest. The assassin fell on the ground hardly, but after several seconds, he jumped in the air again and slowly, started catching up with dragons. At first, he was whole one hundred meters from them. After several seconds, only ninety. Zap cursed in his mind. He knew that they were only a minute of flight, maybe one and half from the dragon city.

"We're so close!" He screamed in his mind. "What to do? What to do? We would need some decoy. But who? Neither Arriate nor Ñeque, wyvern would kill them in several seconds. I can't go either, because someone will have to carry Flush. He's still too weak to move. With him on my back, I won't be any challenge. If I dropped him and then fought, maybe I'd manage to protect him and both buy Arriate and Ñeque some time. Doubtful. Or, I can catch Arriate and Ñeque and use my lightning's speed to buy us some distance. But with them holding me, will I keep right direction? I don't know, if won't I simply crush, practically killing all four of us. Mom said that it's pretty possible, especially in forest." Zap analyzed the situation in several seconds. Five seconds more and wyvern would have them. The lightning dragon made his choice.

"Arriate, Ñeque, take my pa..." He interrupted in half of sentence, as Arriate rapidly turned back and, charging lightning, flew straight to the wyvern. The lightning dragon watched her with disbelief.

"Arriate!" Ñeque screamed fearfully. The young dragoness released powerful, as for her, lightning, but assassin avoided it. She flew right beneath him, screaming furiously. Something cracked in her. She wouldn't let any wyvern touch her friends. Zap cursed silently. She was too slow. He could see this so clearly from his position. The wyvern swung his blade from beneath intending to slash her face. She dove suddenly trying to avoid it, shielding herself with arm. The black sword went through the flesh without any problem. There could be heard a nasty noise of broken bone. The lightning dragoness screamed in agony and disappeared between trees. The wyvern grinned to himself and followed her.

"Arriate!" Ñeque shouted once more, but heard no reply. He wanted to fly to her, but then, Zap caught his paw. "Drop me!" He shouted madly.

"We're flying to the city for help!" The lightning dragon refused firmly.

"We can't leave her alone!" Flush was angry at Zap as well. "He'll kill her!"

"And what will your two change?!" Zap shouted and both youngsters watched him aghast. Then, they lowered their heads, as they understood. They were helpless. "What can we change?" In Zap's eyes appeared tears. He hated this choice, but if he did anything else, Arriate's death... No, not death, but only wounds, would be wasted if they tried to help her. They had to fly.

"So we'll do nothing?" Flush asked with disbelief.

"We will bring help." Zap refused. "Arriate's fast, she'll be alive. She keeps escaping those bullies in school, right?" All three dragons wanted so badly to turn back and help Arriate, but they understood why they couldn't. None of them said a word, but only suffered in silence, not stopping their tears. They passed through the border of forest in less than five minutes. They saw the city walls and two dragons sitting on those. One was white and another yellow. Zap's heart started beating faster, if that was even possible, as he recognized the lightning dragoness. It was his mother.

"Mom!" He shouted. "Mom!" He saw two dragonesses straightening wings and taking flight.

"There you are. Where have you been?" The lightning guardian asked with anger.

"There are wyverns!" Zap shouted and his mother watched him with disbelief.

"Are you..." Stella didn't know what to say. Wyverns? What did they want?

"Let's go!" Ñeque shouted desperately and guardians quickly caught up with youngsters, flying deeply into the forest.

The little dragoness was hiding in bushes. Her heart was hammering, in mind danced thousand thoughts. She had simple plan. To escape, escape and escape. From bushes, she watched carefully the wyvern who landed on the ground and started looking around. She knew that she couldn't move now, he would find him right away. She noticed that he took some liquid covering his tailblade and started covering his talons with it. She couldn't know that he was poisoning his talons. Those had been poisoned earlier, but it was never too much of poison. Hunter and prey remained in silence and motionless for some time already. Then, wyvern, all of sudden, jumped exactly in Arriate's direction. He found her. Or maybe he had known her location from the very beginning, but didn't want to waste any more time. The little dragoness jumped away from bushes avoiding his blow in the very last moment. She flew into leaves of tree above her and hid there. But the assassin followed her immediately. She jumped again, this time at a branch of another tree, avoiding death for only centimeters again. Her hinder leg slipped, but she didn't fall. At that moment, she heard noise of branches right behind her. "The wyvern!" She thought, terrified. She jumped away, looking behind herself to see where the assassin was. Then, she turned to look for any hideout. Her eyes grew wide, as she noticed the wyvern right before her. Arriate beaten her wings, stopping in the air. Then, wyvern slashed her chest with talons. He expected her to be closer so he'd kill her immediately, but still, he gave her wounds, which couldn't be called just scratches. Drip of poison covering sword fell into her eye, causing terrible pain. The power of blow threw little dragoness away to the ground. Arriate cried in pain consuming her body. With chest covered all over in her own blood and pain paralyzing her body, she waited for him, her death, to come. The wyvern landed and ran to her. When he was only several steps from hatchling, there appeared lightning flash, which crushed at the wyvern, throwing him away. The wyvern fell down, but quickly stood up and watched carefully the lightning dragoness who stood between him and Arriate.

"A dragon guardian. Whatever, the hatchling's already dead." The wyvern hissed and escaped into the forest. Stella turned around and ran to wounded hatchling.

"Arriate!" She screamed, terrified. The little dragoness was covered in so much blood. The guardian couldn't believe that it all was only hers. Arriate raised her head slowly, watching Stella.

"Aunt?" She asked in disbelief with trembling voice, watching the guardian with widely opened eyes. She was breathing quickly, her little heart pounding madly. She couldn't understand this terrifying cold consuming her.

"Hang on, I'm getting you out of here." Stella took little dragoness in her paws and started beating wings. Then, there appeared Candice, Ñeque, Flush and Zap.

"Sister!" The ice dragon screamed, terrified. Flush didn't say anything, but watched her with widely opened eyes.

"Zap, Flush, lead me to the other youngsters." Candice ordered. Flush, already laying on guardian's back, nodded slightly. The lightning dragon didn't even twitch. He was aghast that he didn't hear the guardian. "Zap!" Zap startled, nodded and he, Candice and Flush flew away.

"Let's go." Stella said to Ñeque and they started flying madly to the city. Stella, with Ñeque on her back and Arriate in paws, was flying to the city the fastest she could. She had so many thoughts absorbing her mind right now...

"Why did he attack? Who was he? What did he want? Is this really happening? Please, tell me that it's just nightmare... How could I have let this happen? I promised. I promised Sable that I would protect her. I promised it to the one who I owe life and I failed him! She's like a niece to me and she's... dying. Damn it! Damn you, wyverns!" She screamed in her mind. In her eye appeared tear.

"I'm sorry, Sable. I am so sorry." She whispered, feeling Arriate's heart gradually slowing down. Then, she saw the city walls and far away, the hospital. She had never in her entire life been so happy to see that cold, stony building.

It was already dark, starless night. Stella was sitting in the hospital corridor at the cold floor. Right next to her, there was her mate, Infernus. Except for those two, the hallway was completely empty. The only source of light were several torches giving intensive light and great window, sometimes letting weak light of moon, if only it wasn't covered with clouds. Two dragons weren't sitting in silent waiting. Infernus had been whispering to his beloved the words of encouragement for last one and half hour, since the very first moment when he came to the hospital after being woken up by some guards and informed about Stella bringing some youngsters to there. Thanks to her mate, Stella was feeling relatively well. She didn't feel good, she wouldn't until Ember would leave that surgery room and tell her any good news, but she didn't feel terribly either. She was hopeful though she hated that waiting. She knew that medics were giving their best to save Arriate at that very moment, but still, she was scared about that little hatchling. Arriate was very close to her, practically a family member. Losing her would be painful blow for Stella. The minutes were passing unbearably slowly. And then, the door opened. There appeared Ember. The pink dragoness walked to Stella and Infernus slowly. The lightning guardian stood up rapidly and ran to her.

"How is she?" She asked, scared.

"We've stopped all her bleedings." Ember said, but she hung her head sadly. Stella's heart started hammering. She knew that something went not as planned.

"What's wrong? She will live, won't she?" The lightning guardian asked.

"Her... Through her wounds, Arriate absorbed great amount of the wyvern poison. Far too great for such a youngster to survive it. We tried slowing it down, giving Arriate's body more strength to withstand it, using any cures or antidotes , but this all gave nothing. It's wyvern's poison, there's no antidote. It has already destroyed her left eye completely. All we could do was buying her a little more time and releasing her from pain." Ember hung her head shamefully. In her eye, there appeared a tear. "I'm sorry, Stella. Arriate's death is only matter of time. It will be done before the sunrise." Hearing that, Stella's eyes grew wide in disbelief. Then, she cried aloud and hugged her mate strongly, hiding in his protective arms. The lightning guardian couldn't stop her tears. She wished she could do something. Anything. She wished she had at least killed that wyvern who did it to her. Stella was crying loudly for long time, before she managed to stop tears and still, she was trembling in sorrow, sometimes, wiping out new tears.

"Does... she know... that she's..." Stella stumbled.

"Yes." Ember answered before the guardian would say the last, such a painful word. "I didn't have to tell it her for myself, she feels it." The pink dragoness added. It's a horrible thing when a hatchling asks you, if it will die already knowing the answer.

"Can I see her?" The lightning guardian asked, uncertainly.

"Of course." Ember confirmed. She walked to the door to surgery room and opened those. Stella and Infernus entered it and pink dragoness gently closed it. The room wasn't very big, but neither small. There was no medic left, all of them had left with side door. In its center, around several tables with medical equipment, there was laying her. Arriate. Stella, with her heart hammering , walked slowly to the bed. She wondered what she would see, in what state would Arriate be, what she would say. Stella and Infernus finally, after several seconds, which seemed to be eternity, appeared next to little dragoness.

"Hi, aunt. Hi uncle." Arriate greeted them with silent voice, smiling weakly. Whole her chest was covered in medical leaves, her broken left arm stiffened and placed at the bed, so she wouldn't move it, because it only would cause more pain. Her left eye was already blind. Her previously beautifully gold iris and dark pupil were now covered in mat, white layer. The rest of her eyeball was bloodshot, practically red because of blood which had poured in there. All around her eye could be seen small web of blood vessel. It looked horrifyingly. Watching her, Infernus felt creeps across body. "How could have anyone done such a thing to just a hatchling?" He thought. Stella was crushed. She couldn't stop her tears anymore.

"Arriate. I'm sorry." Stella whispered. "I should have been looking after you for all the time. I... It's all my fault and..."

"No, aunt Stella." The little dragoness disagreed. "It's none of your fault."

"But... but I..." Stella started stumbling and little dragoness smiled slightly.

"Thank you for that you did all that you could. For saving the others." Arriate interrupted her. Her dad had read her once a story where a dying main character said such words… It sounded really nice. She slowly closed her left eye and realizing that it wouldn't give her any additional vision, didn't open it anymore.

"Can I..." The lightning guardian sighed deeply. "Do you want me to tell your parents something from you?" She offered, feeling creeps across her body. She couldn't believe that it was really happening.

"Yes." Arriate agreed with sorrow. That was the moment when she realized that she would never again see her parents. She hadn't thought of that, but she was really happy that her aunt offered her that. "Tell dad and mum not to cry too much. They've already cried too often in past. And I'll be with them, watching them from the above." Stella nodded with understanding.

"I will tell them." The guardian promised.

"Oh, uncle, and could you..."

"Yes?" Infernus asked, as he watched her carefully.

"Make sure that aunt won't cry too much either." Arriate pleased smiling slightly.

"I will." The fire breather hugged his mate gently, so she felt a little better. Small dragoness grinned watching these two. "Thank you." She whispered. Then, Stella felt presence of several dragons behind the door. She easily recognized those, especially her brother's. Then, the door opened and seven youngsters entered the surgery room. All of them were fine, only Torch had bandage at his hinder right leg, Sierra at ending of tail and Zealous on her right paw. All youngsters walked to Arriate's bed and surrounded it. Stella stepped back a little and with her mate stood at the side to watch the youngsters. Arriate was really happy to see all of them safe and sound.

"How are you?" She asked, watching all of them carefully with one eye.

"We're fine. We kept avoiding that wyvern until mom came and killed him." Tundra explained.

"We have only scratches, nothing really dangerous." Zealous added. Arriate smiled slightly. She was so happy to see her friends all safe and sound. Oh, if only they could say this same...

"Zap, are you angry at me?" Arriate asked sadly, watching the lightning dragon carefully.

"No, not at all." Zap refused quickly. "You did something I would never have courage to ask you for. Thank you. You saved lives of all of us." He whispered. He knew that his idea with using lightning speed while grabbing other dragons would most likely end up with death to them all. The little lightning dragoness smiled.

"I surprised him. He didn't expect that." She noticed proudly staring at her brother.

"No, he didn't." Ñeque confirmed. He smiled himself, trying not to cry. "You know, thinking of that race from evening... I'm not angry that I've lost to you, little sister." He said and grinned. Arriate knew that by "little", he meant "younger". She watched him skeptically, but smiled after several seconds. Then, her vision in right eye blurred and she felt wave of weakness and coldness surrounding her.

"Flush?" She called.

"I'm here." The fire breather was standing right next to her head, but on the left, so dragoness had to jerk it to see him. "What is it?"

"There, in the forest... with your magic..." Arriate was speaking very slowly and silently, every word was a challenge to her now. "That shield you did... You were showing off." She said and giggled silently. Flush watched her dumbstruck a little, unsure what to say.

"I wasn't." He refused.

"You were." Arriate agreed.

"Maybe a little. But it worked." The fire breather noticed.

"You're right, wizard." The lightning dragoness smiled, as she said the last word. "Wizard. Nice nickname, don't you think?" She noticed. She repeated it once more in her mind. Yes, she really liked it. Oh, if only she had come up with it earlier, she would use it all the time... Then, her vision around her darkened, she felt weakness consuming her definitely. She lost her sight. She tried to blink, but it gave no effects.

"I... I can't see you. Where are you?" She whispered.

"I'm here." Ñeque said and grasped his sister's paw. She held it strongly.

"By your side." Flush added and placed his paw on her shoulder. And so, all youngsters, whispering words of encouragement, one by one, placed their paws on Arriate, so even though she couldn't see them, she could feel their presence. At the end, Infernus put his paw on her second shoulder.

"You're not alone. Arriate." He said with voice filled with sorrow.

"For that we're always with you." Stella, as the last one, placed her paw on little dragoness's heart. Arriate smiled blissfully. With all her friends around, feeling no pain, hearing such beautiful words... Dying didn't hurt at all, as she would expect. It was almost like falling asleep. Arriate was very happy that she could leave her world like this. She was sorry for that she had to leave her friends. But she couldn't help it, after all. No one could.

"So, did anyone else..." Tifa asked. The old lightning dragoness, just like other three elders advising guardians were in a great round hall where guardians would always meet. Stella, who was asked, and Candice were the only guardians in there. Ember accompanied them as well, instead of her mate who was already far away from Warfang.

"No, only Arriate." Stella whispered as tear flown down her cheeks. She hung her head sadly, trying not to cry. But she was definitely losing that battle.

"I'm sorry, young guardian." Tifa said with pity. She had seen too much death in time of war not to know how Stella felt. Asher wanted to say something, he even opened his mouth, but eventually, he decided to remain silent. He could barely hide his real feelings about this all.

"So, what will we do about this all?" Gaillard, the elder of earth, asked. "And do we know where Tremor is?"

"I'm here." Dragons heard a male voice and all of them looked in the direction of the entrance. There was Tremor. He was walking slowly, there was sorrow written all over his face. He knew about the incident. "Hi, Candice, hi Stella." He hugged his mate lovingly. At first, Candice wanted to scold him for his disappearing, but she didn't. It wasn't the right moment.

"Where have you been?" Asher asked curiously.

"Wyverns, Sombras from Celeste Tribu, had kidnapped Ray's family. They wanted from him that old book with recipes of Douten's elixirs. I followed Ray, who had left the city already, caught up with him and together, we managed to save both book and his family. Unfortunately, Ray was wounded seriously, but he's alive. I've just returned from the hospital, so I know the news about youngsters, I spent some time in Arriate's room." Tremor explained his absence.

"Where's Douten's book now?" Candice asked.

"It's safe, only I and Ray know exactly where it was hidden. I would prefer not to tell anyone the further details." The earth guardian explained.

"You're right." Albion, the ice elder, very old dragon spoke. It surprised everyone, since he spoke very rarely. "So, now we know that the attackers were from Celeste Tribu. The question is what you do about it." The old dragon watched the guardians carefully.

"We will head to the north, all three of us." Candice decided pointing at her, Stella and Tremor. "We can't wait for Flame or Spyro, there's no time for it."

"I will remain in the city and represent Flame and the other guardians for the time of your absence." Ember declared and all guardians nodded with agreement.

"Yes, the faster we go there, the bigger chance we'll have to save dragons in there." Tremor agreed. "The fact that they're in trouble is obvious, right?"

"Yeah. We have to take them out of there. That's the priority." The ice guardian confirmed.

"The other one is clarifying situation between us and wyverns." Gaillard noticed. "The simplest option would be declaring war for such an attack, but that's not the solution."

"Indeed. We will clarify it, but in other ways." Tremor agreed. Asher just sighed deeply.

"The hatred and misplaced protectiveness are consuming you, young guardian. It's consuming you all." The fire breather said gloomily. He was angry.

"What do you imply?" Ember asked watching him carefully.

"Even Albion approves your plan, failing to see how reckless it is. Those are just seven dragons out there. Lives of guardians aren't worth being risked for only them, especially if there may happen a war in the near future. Elder Ray didn't die and "Forbidden Alchemy" still belongs to us. I understand that Arriate's dying and you may be unpleased." The fire breather sounded far too careless when it to came to speaking of death. "But still, we shouldn't make any actions in order to avenge her. Dear ancestors, she's a half-wyvern, right? It was almost Celeste's right to claim for her…" A loud slap echoed through the hall. Ember tried to stop Stella, but the guardian was far too fast. The blood was covering her talons as she left three crimson lines on his cheek.

"Say it once more and I swear, I'll rip your throat apart." The dragoness warned.

"Stella!" Ember held her shoulder and forced her to step away from the elder. "Stella, just don't listen to him." She pleased. "You know his…"

"But she's right, Asher." Candice electrified the elder with sight. "I don't want to hear you speaking such words ever. Three elders instead of four would be just enough as well." She warned ominously.

"And besides , it's our duty as the guardians to rescue dragons in need and stabilize the situation as soon as possible." Tremor added. The old fire breather just shrugged.

"I'm just expressing my opinion." He said. Tifa snorted at him with disdain. Then, she watched carefully the lightning guardian. She was hanging her head down, letting tears flow through her closed eyes. Stella was spiking her talons in ground, fighting with anger in her heart silently.

"Stella, please look at me." The lightning guardian raised her head and watched the old dragoness with desperate sight. "I know how you feel. I know that you'd most likely do carnage there, at the north, so wyverns would realize their mistake." Stella's lips moved, she clenched her teeth barely stopping herself from shouting madly. What could she know about her wounded heart? "But you have to fight this feeling. You know that it's not the solution. It won't change anything." Stella watched her, at first angrily, but then, she started crying silently.

"You're right." She agreed, unable to stop tears. Then, she felt someone hugging her friendly. It was Candice.

"We'll go there, to the north, and bring all of them back here. And trust me, wyverns who did it will pay for it." She promised. Stella nodded slightly.

"So, we're going to the north." Tremor sealed their choice once and for good.

"Only three of you?" Gaillard asked, watching young guardians carefully.

"Spyro and Flame are already far from Warfang, trying to catch up with them would be wasting time. I'll stay here to represent Flame and other guardians, but there's someone who will go with you as well." Ember noticed. "Cynder would be mad at us, if we didn't take her with us, don't you think?"

"True." Tremor agreed. "So, we'll leave the city for you and the elders to care about it and we're going north."

"When will you leave?" Asher asked, surrendering.

"This morning, at the sunset. We have to prepare for journey, but we won't wait. We have no time to waste." Candice explained.

"So, let's go." Stella agreed silently.

Several hours later, there came the sunrise to the Warfang. Four dragons were standing on the city walls, just about to leave. Even though none of them slept more than an hour or two that night, they weren't tired. Adrenaline didn't let them be sleepy even a little.

"Hey everyone." They heard some male greeting them and turned around. Then, they saw the lightning elder with whole his chest covered in bandages.

"Ray, it's good to see you." Tremor smiled slightly.

"It's good to see you as well. So, you're leaving this early?" The elder asked with disbelief.

"There's no time. We shouldn't wait." Candice explained.

"How's your shoulder?" Tremor asked curiously.

"Not so bad, there will be only a scar left soon." Ray explained. "Have a safe journey, friends. Good luck in saving Viola and others at the north. And you'd better be careful." He bided them.

"Thanks, Ray. Goodbye." Tremor said. The elder bided them goodbye as well and flew back to the city.

"So, let's go." Candice suggested. She and her mate jumped in the air, but Stella didn't react at all. Cynder caught sight of her and looked at the ice guardian.

"Fly, we'll join you." The black dragoness said. Candice nodded and she and mate started flying away. Cynder stepped next to Stella. The lightning guardian was watching carefully Warfang. It still was partly hidden in shadows, but sun had already reached the hospital, great white building surrounded by little houses. As Ember had foretold, Arriate's suffering came to the end even before the sunrise. She felt creeps across her body, as she thought of it. Was it really happening? Arriate, attack of wyvern, their journey to the north... It all was so surrealistic.

"Stella? We're going." Cynder called her friend. She watched her with worries.

"I know. Don't worry about me. I'm fine." The lightning guardian assured her. "I'll be fine." She corrected herself after a second. She sighed deeply. "Cynder, I'll tell Sable and Viola the news. I promised them that I would look after Arriate and Ñeque, I should tell them about it." She said.

"If you wish so." The black dragoness agreed.

"I wonder, if I will be ever able to look into Sable's eyes once I tell him." Stella whispered.

"I believe you will." Cynder assured her and smiled with optimism. She had such a beautiful smile, pouring in hearts of everyone else hope. "Let's go, Stella. We should hurry." She noticed. Two dragonesses jumped in the air and followed their companions quickly.


	41. Chapter 40

Chapter 40. "Marked paw"

In the middle of nowhere, the forgotten by ancestors place where no one lived, in the land in possession of wyverns only because only they bothered themselves with claiming rights to those forests, there was some small field. It was ordinary, just as hundreds of others, placed here and there across these endless forests. In its middle, there was standing old willow, beautifully lit with rays of the rising sun. Incidental passerby, if there happened any, would feel smell of burning tree, see gentle, red and orange light of fire and some white smoke. Next to it, there was Vixen dancing between life and death in that very moment. Before her was sitting a person who, not without pride, claimed himself dragon for five years and, for less than two days, not without overtaking sorrow, could call himself brother of that little dragoness. His paws, widely opened, were placed subtly on her gently moving chest, giving her body pleasant, warm magic, desperately trying to keep her alive. Sable's only sword, his father's great red blade was stuck in the ground two meters behind him, its scabbard was laying on the ground next to it. In any other circumstances he would be angry for that he had lost his katanas, but now, he didn't care. All that he wanted was protecting his sister. Around him, there were burning three bonfires warming body of little dragoness.

Sable heard some noise in the bushes. He jerked his head gently, watching its source with corner of his eye. It was Zheek. The fire breather appeared from between trees, carrying on his back lots of dry branches. As he came next to one of bonfires, he shook them off his back, so they fell on long grass. He hissed angrily, as one of branches scratched his back painfully. Then, he sat next to Sable.

"I've brought wood." Zheek said.

"I see." Medic replied tersely, maximally focusing on healing Vixen.

"Why do we need three bonfires? Isn't it too hot in here?" The fire breather noticed. Inside triangle of bonfires, which were releasing quite big amount of heat, it was very warm.

"I don't want Vixen to cool her body in the night. It could have terrible consequences." Sable explained. He didn't speak much. In fact, he hadn't spoken more than several sentences for last two days. The fire breather, sitting in silence next to his companion, watched the black dragoness carefully. She looked terribly with her broken wing and limbs all over covered in blood. Even her paws and tail had little holes after Lanzador, now bandaged. She looked as if she was sleeping, but not blissfully. It was restless, shallow sleep. Vixen was closing her eyelids strongly, struggling, definitely scared of something she was living through in a nightmare, terrifying world of her own mind.

"Grasp her paw." Sable said.

"What?" Zheek watched him dumbstruck.

"Grasp her paw gently and whisper to her something calming. It may help her." The lightning dragon explained. Zheek felt his heart spiking and blood flowed rapidly to his cheeks. If only Sable was watching him, he would easily notice that despite his red scales. The fire breather grasped her paw, a little smaller than his and enclosed his lips to side of her head.

"Don't worry, Vixen. We're with you." He whispered. The black dragoness stopped pressing her eyelids not so intensively, she calmed down a little, lowering her breathing.

"It worked." The fire breather noticed, smiling.

"Don't drop her paw. She will subconsciously know that someone close is next to her." Sable explained. He couldn't help gentle smile, which appeared at his lips, as he watched Zheek. The fire dragon nodded, all the time watching carefully the black dragoness and grasping her paw. He could barely feel her terribly weak pulse.

"Will she live?" He asked silently, scared to hear answer. Sable sighed deeply. From the bottom of his heart he wanted to avoid answering this question.

"I won't save her. I don't have enough energy to bring her to the state when nothing would endanger her life. I can keep her alive, but once I run out of energy, she'll die." Sable explained. Her state was truly desperate; in the very beginning of her healing, her heart stopped and lightning dragon barely managed to force it to work again; he had to use plenty of his energy at the very beginning. If anything like that would happen again, he wouldn't be able to make her heart beat again. Zheek lowered his sight sadly. "But I already have a plan, I think."

"What is it?" The fire breather asked hopefully.

"For last two days, I've been healing her body to this completely necessary minimum, so we could transport her. You will carry her and I will keep healing her until we reach others. There, Ivory and Tris will heal her." Sable explained his plan.

"Are you sure about it? Will it work?" The fire breather asked doubtfully.

"I hope so. In less than hour, I will heal her to the state when she could be carried. Still, we can't fly fast and we have to avoid wyverns. We must believe that I won't run out of whole my magic before we reach other dragons and pray for Ivory to have plenty of it saved." The medic said.

"And once we reach them, she's safe already?" The fire breather asked.

"No, but all will be in Captain and Tris's paws then. This journey will have very bad influence on Vixen's body and girls have to be able to repair it." The lightning dragon sounded like he didn't know, if would this plan work out. In fact, he had no idea.

"Do you think that Ivory and Tris will heal her?" Zheek watched his companion with worries. He could feel doubts in his voice. Sable didn't reply. "Would you heal her, if Ivory brought her to you?" He asked.

"If she brought her in the state that I predict? No, I wouldn't." He said sadly. Then, at his lips appeared smile. "But, difference in my and Captain's magical potential is like between earth and sky. She's a miracle maker. And together with Tris... It will be hard, but not impossible." Sable promised.

"Should I prepare something for journey?" Zheek asked, feeling optimism pouring into his heart.

"Just keep holding her paw. I think she's feeling much better." Sable suggested, as he watched lovingly his little sister. The lightning dragon finished absolutely necessary treatments and in less than an hour, two dragons left small field in that forgotten by ancestors place.

Tris was sitting deeply in great cave all alone, practically at its very end. Well, not completely alone, but except her, there was only sleeping Viola. The ice dragoness would spend the most of time sleeping or laying in small room. She still didn't feel very good and both medics advised not to move too much for at least next week, so she could regain whole her strength. Viola had agreed, through very reluctantly. The fire breather sighed deeply. Ivory was out, she left to... without any reason, in fact, she most likely needed to take a walk. Dante and Farady went hunting. The lightning dragoness was guide for her mate, since she knew these lands pretty well. That Farady... Her behavior towards Dante had been in last weeks somehow disturbing. She didn't do anything wrong, at least not when Tris was around but... She could see Farady's sight. As if Dante was delicious piece of meat that she had already tasted, but wanted to have it all only for herself. The lightning dragoness was really self-possessed, those sights would appear for not more than several seconds. But Tris would always notice those. And besides, they definitely spent far too much time together. Tris sighed deeply and shook her head.

"Maybe it's just whole this stress? Dante would never betray me." She watched her gently curved belly. "I shouldn't stress so much. Viola and Ivory keep saying that it may have bad influence on hatchling." Young dragoness caressed her belly and smiled lovingly. "How is it in there, my child? Not too tightly? I know that there's not much place, after all I'm just little dragoness, but I hope it's spacious in there, kid." In her eye, there appeared tear, which she wiped out quickly. "Oh, I hate this waiting. But you have to grow and grow so you will be strong..." She sighed deeply. "I wonder if will it hurt, when I lay your egg. Viola says it will terribly. Or maybe she just lied me? No, she wouldn't lie in such important case, how do you think?" She asked her unborn hatchling. She heard nothing, but felt some gentle movement in her belly. "Yeah, you're right." She agreed. "Just don't grow too fast, you could spare me this." She pleased. Then, Tris heard some steps. Someone had entered and Tris was so focused on her child she hadn't noticed it this far. At first, she thought that it was Ivory, but the white dragoness would immediately call her to say what herbs she had found and there was no one calling. That disturbed her. Tris walked to the entrance of the cave, practically sneaking. Meanwhile, she was listening carefully to the steps of newcomer. He was sneaking as well, which made Tris only more suspicious. The fire breather walked smoothly to the corner and looked from behind it. It was a wyverness, a little older than her. She was wearing beautifully ornamented, silver armor. At her paw, there was one yellow scale, which was kind of surprising. The wyverness enclosed to the room where was Viola and jerked her head. From her changing expression she could see that wyverness noticed her. She wanted to turn around and leave quickly when she heard Tris's angry hiss. She watched its source with surprise and barely managed to avoid great stream of fire. She jumped away rapidly, there could be heard metallic noise of her gauntlet, as she hit some rock with it. Tris ran to her and breathed fire. The wyverness just cursed angrily, with one jump avoided dragoness's attack and with another appeared right next to her. She slashed and Tris leaned back, barely avoiding sharp talons. Then, attacker jumped at the dragoness, knocking her out. Two females rolled into room where Viola was laying. It was perpendicular, long for at least five meters and wide for three. In the corner, there was Viola's bed. As two females fell in there, wyverness kicked the fire breather to the wall powerfully and watched with corner of eye sleeping deeply Viola who was right next to her. Tris cursed silently. She couldn't use fire, because she'd hurt the ice dragoness. Moreover, she had a bad thing that wyvern meant to kill Viola. She ran to the wyverness quickly and slashed with both paws vertically, attacking from above. She had completely forgotten that Sable would always tell her not to do that. And now, Tris understood why. Her enemy easily blocked that blow with just one paw, she expected it. Thanks to her armor, she didn't have even a scratch. Dragoness's eyes grew wide, as she realized that wyverness could stab her right in the chest without any problem in that very moment. The nameless enemy grinned in very unpleasant way. The wyverness knew how convenient her situation was just as well. She was about to straighten her paw stabbing dragoness's chest, when she felt strong pressure against her belly. Before wyverness even realized what was happening, she was thrown out of the little room and crushed powerfully at the wall of stone corridor of cave. Tris watched laying on the ground and not moving at all, attacker with surprise. Then, before her appeared Ivory.

"Are you alright?" The white dragoness asked. "I used my magic blindly, I was worried, if I didn't…"

"No, no, I'm fine." The fire breather assured her. "Thanks, if not you…" She swallowed hardly. "Just don't tell anyone that I was almost killed protecting Viola, could you? Someone could think that I like her." Tris pleased, absolutely serious about her request. Ivory laughed aloud in answer.

"You're so… irrational." She commented.

Dante and Farady returned to the cave in pretty good moods that evening. Both of them were laughing and chit-chatting, the poet kept rhyming, which sounded like the most beautiful melody of the whole world to the free dragoness. Three of four deer they had hunted were carried by Dante, he would never allow female to carry burden bigger or even equal to his. Farady, who would find herself very independent, didn't really like this, but she understood and so, agreed. When they entered the cave, they noticed three dragonesses sitting in front of someone. Dante laid deer on the ground, sat next to his mate and kissed her lovingly.

"There you are, Dante." Tris smiled with pleasure, as she felt his presence.

"So, who do we have here?" He asked. The poet watched carefully wyverness, wondering, if she was older than him. Her beautifully ornamented armor was laying several meters from her. Whole her back was covered in medical leaves She had tied paws, legs and tail, so she wouldn't release herself. Dante noticed that one of her scales was yellow. The wyverness hung her head down, not paying dragons attention at all.

"I see that you've found some rope. You'll tell me where, I hope?" Dante asked curiously. Tris smiled slightly, as she heard him rhyming.

"She had it in her bag. There were also some medical leaves, the ones medics use, and flint." The fire breather explained. "We've been questioning her for quite a moment now."

"Where did you find her?" Farady glared at the wyverness coldly.

"She found us here, Farady. She attacked Tris when I was still sleeping. Or rather, was attacked by Tris." Viola said. Then, she yawned deeply. "I shouldn't sleep so much." She said to herself.

"So, wyverness, will you tell us your name?" Viola watched the prisoner carefully. "You already know ours from conversations."

"I do, dragon." The wyverness confirmed silently.

"So, your name is..." The ice dragoness asked. Farady just sighed deeply with impatience.

"Oh, you want her to tell you all that she knows before you kill her? Come on, Viola, it's like playing with food, we won't gain nothing and only delay unavoidable." Farady said. "Let's just kill her."

"No, we won't kill her." Viola disagreed. "Tell me your name." She turned to the nameless wyverness.

"No diré nada." The wyverness replied harshly in her native language. She meant to tell them nothing.

"We're just wasting time!" Farady argued angrily. "Don't tell me that you'll release her!"

"Of course not. But it doesn't mean we have to kill her." Ivory explained. Farady only snorted with annoyance in reply.

"I'll set fire and take care of those deer." The lightning dragoness decided.

"I'll help you." Tris offered and two dragonesses left quickly with hunted deer at their backs. The fire breather really wanted to talk with Farady face to face and that was perfect opportunity. The wyverness watched them leaving.

"She's a feral dragon, isn't she?" The wyverness noticed, focusing he sight on Farady.

"She's a free dragoness." Dante corrected her and the prisoner giggled silently hearing that.

"Now, tell me your name." Viola ordered.

"No diré nada." The wyverness refused again.

"I see." The ice dragoness sighed deeply. "I've been trying to be nice to you, but I'm tired of it already, especially when wyverns like you are to be blamed for deaths of my mother years ago and my friend recently. Now, I'll ask again, for the last time. If you don't answer, I'll just slit your throat and burn your body in the fire our friends are setting right now. You'll just disappear from this world, no one will know what had happened to you, no one will remember. There will be nothing left behind after you, no grave where your family could come to mourn you, not even a clue what could have happened to you. Is this what you want?" Viola asked.

"What a difference?" The wyverness asked, but something in her voice changed.

"That there's possibility you may be called traitor." Ivory explained.

"What?! I would never..." The wyverness burst out angrily, but interrupted rapidly. She knew that the medic bluffed, it was practically impossible, if she just disappeared and yet, she let her be provoked. She scolded herself in her mind to be more careful.

"And what if we made you a grave and wrote there thanks for that you helped us escape, informing about movements of wyverns? Of course, not in such primitive way as I say it, but there are subtle ways to suggest wyverns that you've told us everything willingly, right?" Viola thanked Ivory in mind for that argument. Now, she had perfect idea. "Once, your kingdom would find it... You know what happens to the family of traitor in your kingdom, don't you?" The azure dragoness noticed.

"N...no... You wouldn't..." The wyverness watched Viola with disbelief.

"What's your name?" The azure dragoness asked with demanding voice, as she placed her talons on wyverness's throat. "I would say it, if I were you, child. I really would."

"Oro... Oroescama." The wyverness confessed and hung her head with resignation. Viola stepped back from her and Ivory smiled triumphantly. Dante sighed deeply.

"Viola, persuasive you definitely can be. I hope you won't play like this towards me?" The poet watched her carefully.

"Of course not, Dante." Viola refused, smiling to him charmingly.

"Anyway, continue your questioning. I'll need some fresh air breathing." Dante explained himself and left the cave quickly. Two dragonesses watched carefully their prisoner.

"Oroescama, go to that room. That's enough as for today." Viola decided. The wyverness, hanging her head sadly, walked slowly to the pointed room and laid down. "Oroescama... Gold scale. That's a nice name." The azure dragons said to herself.

"Four hours and all that we know is name. That wasn't easy." Ivory noticed silently.

"True, she's tough. But from now, it will be much easier. If you managed to break her one time, the others will come one after another." Viola was very optimistic. "Thank you for that idea with traitor. If not that, I think I would never bend her."

"What do you want to know from her?" The white dragoness asked curiously.

"She's the royal messenger, which we know thanks to this characteristic armor of hers. I want her to tell us about movements of their army." Viola explained. "Let's go to that bonfire, shall me? I would love to eat something." Ivory nodded, agreeing and left the cave, going to the others, already preparing the dinner. Bonfire was only ten meters from entrance to cave, so dragons could keep an eye on its entrance for all the time to make sure that Oroescama wouldn't try escaping.

Zheek raised his head to watch the clear sky above his head. He jerked his head at right and then sun blinded him for a second so he hissed angrily. "Is it already morning?" He asked himself with disbelief. Time was passing so quickly and kilometers so slowly... Flight was quite exhausting since he had to carry Vixen. But she was very light and, first of all, he knew that if he appeared not to be strong enough, it would mean death to Vixen and this motivation was all that he needed. For all the time he was grasping her paw. Feeling warmth of his body, Vixen seemed to feel much better, at least by her mind. For whole their flight, Sable didn't interrupt healing Vixen for even a second unless it was absolutely necessary. They were quite lucky this far. They had almost met no wyverns, only two pairs of soldiers who Sable sensed quickly and avoiding them wasn't challenge at all.

"Sable, how is she?" Zheek asked with worries.

"She's alive. And we should thank ancestors for at least this." The lightning dragon said. He watched his sister lovingly. Then, his sight stopped at Zheek. "There, at that field... Thank you for stopping me. I was so mad at Clavius that I've completely forgotten about Vixen."

"No problem. I knew that you're good sword master, but when you started throwing your blades and scabbards, I watched you like bewitched." Then, Zheek blushed gently. "That's why I came a little later than planned." He explained himself. "By the way, aren't you mad about losing both your katanas just like this? I thought you cared about them." He wondered.

"It was the only way to make sure that Cobro wouldn't join the fight. At first, he simply couldn't and later, he was satisfied with taking my swords. He loves collecting blades and he not really believed that we'd manage to save Vixen anyway. That was a low price for chance to save Vixen."

"If we fought together against Cobro and Clavius, would we win?" Zheek asked curiously.

"I don't know. Neither of them is an enemy that can be underestimated. And I'm kind of scared about Lanzador." Sable explained. "Have you ever faced any of those princes?"

"No, it was my first time to meet them." Zheek refused. "What is this Lanzador? It's not some average weapon, is it?"

"No, definitely not." Sable confirmed. "Lanzador is a weapon perfect against dragons. It can absorb and reflect elements and fighting it with just paws is practically suicide. Talons won't block it, no matter how badly you try. This weapon was crafted by my father against Cynder in case she attacked wyverns of Celeste. Once the war came to the end, he intended to destroy it, but decided to keep it." Sable sighed deeply. "He could have at least hidden it somewhere."

"But you could fight it without problem." Zheek noticed.

"Only me. Who else? Not even Ivory, Clavius would just absorb her magic. And I don't have my one-handed swords anymore." Sable explained.

"So we'll avoid meeting them again." Zheek guessed. "How's your magic?" He asked.

"Quite well, I'll have some part of it back in next two days." Then, he yawned deeply. Sable was already exhausted, he hadn't slept much lately. "If we're very lucky, we'll make it to your old home before the tomorrow's midnight." He said optimistically. To dragons sped up a little, as they flew across one of hundreds fields. With every beat of their wings, they believed more and more that they would make it in time.

Oroescama raised her head and looked around as all the dragons were already sleeping. She was laying in the main corridor, all tied up so even though she really wanted, she couldn't even walk normally, not speaking of escaping. It wasn't time yet. She kept looking around, trying to learn dragons' habits and find a way to trick them. In the night, they all were sleeping, which meant they felt safe in there. They didn't expect any wyvern to appear there. The most of them spent this time in small stony rooms, but not Dante nor Tris. The couple was sleeping in the corridor, at their improvised bed: pile of leaves. It was simple, but comfortable. They were sleeping right next to the exit. The wyverness took some stone right next to her and threw it at some wall with annoyance, making not really loud noise. Then, the fire breather raised her head slowly and looked around with sleepy eyes. Oroescama pretended that she was sleeping until she heard Tris muttering something and falling back asleep.

"She has terribly shallow sleep." The royal messenger noticed. That could be reason everyone could be sleeping; if someone came, he'd wake her up right away. "If I fly, I'll wake her up with beating my wings. And in the entrance to the cave there are hundreds little stones, which always crack, if you step at those. At least they have no one on duty outside. If I want to escape, I'll have to..." Then, she heard characteristic cracking of the stones. Tris woke up immediately and looked around. She noticed someone walking into cave. The wyverness noticed how Tris woke her mate up silently.

"Is here anyone?" She heard some male voice. It was dragon.

"Sable!" Tris shouted, surprised. She quickly sent small stream of fire to burn several torches, which lit the cave quickly. Sable and Zheek appeared in the firelight. They were carrying Vixen. "You've brought her!" She noticed, happily. Meanwhile, Dante stood up and started waking everyone up. Soon, all the dragons left their beds and ran to the newcomers. Sable and Zheek placed Vixen on the floor gently. Both of them were exhausted, especially Sable who was staggering. If not Viola who hugged him lovingly, he'd most likely collapse.

"You're back." She whispered with relief. Sable didn't say anything, but kissed her passionately. Then, he turned at the white dragoness.

"Captain, you must save her." He begged. Ivory nodded slightly.

"Zheek, Tris, bring all the torches, I'll need more light." She ordered. "Everyone, step back, I'll need space as well." All the dragons made a step back and two fire breathers ran for torches. Meanwhile, Ivory focused and started estimating Vixen's state.

"Dear ancestors..." She whispered. "What have they done to her?" The white dragoness couldn't believe that anyone could bring Vixen to the state she was in without killing her. Truly, Clavius was an artist of tortures in the most horrid meaning of these words. At that moment, Tris and Zheek appeared with several torches and quickly set those on fire.

"Can you save her?" Zheek asked with worries.

"Don't count on me. I have this same problem with magic as Ivory did when she was pregnant." Tris explained herself, placing her paw on her belly meaningfully. "I'm sorry." She had told others about it already, so no one was really surprised.

"Neither on me, I've spent whole my energy to keep her alive this far. It went worse than I expected." Sable said. As he had told Zheek, it all was up to Ivory.

"Yeah, I can feel great magical interference in her body. I'm scared to imagine how she was before your treatment." Ivory confirmed. "Give me some time, we will see, if I can help her." Ivory said, not very sure. Then, the white dragoness started healing Vixen. All the dragons, standing in the circle, watched them carefully.

"Vixen..." Sable whispered with weak voice. He obviously was really exhausted. "Her real name is Sonrisa." He told everyone, but only Viola recognized that name.

"Sonrisa?" Her eyes grew wide as she asked with disbelief. "That Sonrisa?"

"Yes. She's... my sister." The lightning dragon confirmed. Then, all dragons watched him with amazement.

"When did she tell you that?" Tris asked.

"Right before she passed out." Sable explained. All the dragons watched Ivory healing little dragoness. It was taking her very long, since her state was critical. When two hours passed, Tris and Dante had already fallen back asleep. Farady would love to do this same, but she kept watching with fascination azure aura flowing from Ivory's paws and pouring into Vixen's body. For these two hours, light in medic's eyes, at first very intensive, faded significantly. The white dragoness was spending powerful amount of magic to heal Vixen the fastest she could. Then, Ivory cursed silently.

"No..." She whispered.

"What is it?" Sable asked with worries.

"Something started absorbing my magic and turning it against Vixen." Ivory explained.

"What?" Zheek watched her with disbelief. Then, Ivory interrupted healing her. "What are you doing?!" His shouting awakened Tris, who watched all the dragons carefully. As she started moving, she woke up her mate as well.

"If I keep using magic, I'll kill her!" Ivory shouted. "From some point, not more than a minute before, once I pour magic into her body, I can't control it anymore, but it damages her own body. At first I thought that it was only my mistake, but..." The white dragoness explained with desperation.

"What could cause it?" Viola asked.

"No idea." Sable cursed silently. He was helpless.

"It's Lanzador." The wyverness sitting behind dragons said. All dragons turned at her. "I've heard of it from Principe Clavius. The wyvern wounded with his Lanzador shouldn't be healed by magic, because there could happen such a thing as right now. It doesn't appear right away, always with delay. Within several days, this effect will already pass."

"Within several days she'll be already dead!" Ivory shouted angrily. At wyverness's lips, there danced smile.

"Blood magic, exchange of lifes should work, at least Alivo claimed so." She suggested. "You can use it, I saw the marking on your paw. The question is, if you want." Oroescama grinned ominously, enjoying the moment. She laid on the ground and closed her eyes, satisfied. Ivory hissed angrily. Then, she turned her head and met Sable's sight. Two dragons watched each other carefully.

"You can use mine life energy." Zheek decided, interrupting the silence. Then, he scratched internal side of his paw and there appeared blood. He straightened his paw to her. "You'll need my blood, won't you?" The fire breather asked.

"Zheek, no!" Farady refused madly. She stood right before the fire breather. "I won't let you..." Then, her brother electrified her with sight.

"It's my life, not yours." He said coldly. He perfectly realized that he would die, but just a thought that Vixen could be gone and he would do nothing... "Ivory, can you use my life energy to save her?"

"I do." Ivory confirmed. She scratched her right paw right next to marking after previous exchange of lifes. Then, she did this same with Vixen's. "But I will do it for myself, Zheek." She decided.

"Ivory..." Sable watched her with disbelief. The white dragoness smiled slightly.

"Don't misunderstand me, I'm not going to die." Ivory promised. "Before his death, Crag transferred me his life energy. In theory, I'll be able to heal Vixen using his energy. It's just theory, no one ever tried such a thing, but I'm optimistic about it." She explained. "Now, watch." She connected her and Vixen's paws. Then, she straightened her arm and between paws of two females, there appeared stream of red aura. Sudden feeling of weakness almost knocked Ivory out.

"Ivory!" Viola watched her, scared.

"I'll be fine." The white dragoness assured her. Viola and Farady held her for that she wouldn't fall. Ivory focused and started transferring her life energy to Vixen. This feeling of weakness... Oh, she remembered it so well. She smiled with nostalgia, as she recalled how she had saved her mate many years earlier.

"That wyverness was right, the life energy works." Ivory noticed, smiling. Healing Vixen was going very smoothly and quickly. Within next fifteen minutes, her breath and heart rate stabilized. Everything was going well, small holes in her limbs and tail disappeared, just like the rest of wounds. That was the power of life essence. And then, Ivory's legs bent and she would fall on the ground, when Farady caught her.

"Captain?" Sable asked, watching her carefully. Ivory smiled slightly.

"Well, I think I've overused it a little..." She explained. Ivory watched her paw, as she interrupted exchange of lifes. There appeared another, already third mark after using exchange of lifes.

"How is Vixen?" White dragoness asked. Sable quickly checked her state and then, he sighed with relief.

"She will live." He stated, smiling joyfully. A tear of happiness fell his eye.

"Yes!" Zheek shouted triumphantly. He grinned to the fire breather, who returned the smile. It was probably the first happy moment since dragons had to escape from Celeste.

"I think that's all that we can do, as for today." Sable noticed yawning deeply.

"Yeah." Ivory agreed. "Farady, could you take me to my room? I don't feel like I can depend on my own legs." She pleased. The free dragoness nodded and went with medic to her room. Meanwhile, Zheek took Vixen and carried her to Sable and Viola's room where couple walked as well. In a moment, all the dragons went to their rooms and they took Vixen to her brother's. Before there passed even ten minutes, all the dragons fell asleep once more, this time peacefully, silently celebrating their little victory.


	42. Chapter 41

Chapter 41. "Matter of trust"

The new day bided dragons with warm, pleasantly dry wind of summer midday. As the dawn had broken already several hours earlier, all dragons, exhausted with previous night, woke up. But it was this positive kind of exhaust when despite weariness, and pain of every simple muscle of body, which Sable and Zheek were enduring at that very moment, all they wanted to do was just jumping into the air and shouting joyfully: We did it! Both males would love to do that in the very moment they woke up, if they weren't busy discovering new burning muscles, about whose existence they had never even heard about. Both of them had spent far too many hours in ceaseless flight. But it definitely was worth it. They saved Vixen, though they all had doubted, if they'd succeed. The black dragoness herself felt quite good, only terribly weak, since she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for several days. The first thing she did, as she woke up, was asking for water. When she was awake, she could walk, but she was very weak, so preferred to remain motionless until she'd eat something. In fact, Ivory was doing no better. She obviously had overdid her blood magic. If she tried to stand up, all her limbs would start shaking and she'd just fall on the ground in several seconds. Dante, Farady, Tris and Viola, as the only dragons feeling relatively well after the almost sleepless night, started preparing the breakfast, or rather lunch, for everyone. Soon, pleasant aroma of roasted meat spread across the cave, luring them out from the cave. Still, neither Vixen nor Ivory could really walk, so they were carried to the bonfire. All eight dragons said in the circle, they even asked, if Oroescama didn't want to join them at the lunch, but wyverness quickly rejected that offer. She preferred to spend with these dragons the least time she could.

At Sable's right side, there sat Viola and at the left Vixen. The little dragoness was eating in great hurry. She behaved, as if she hadn't eaten for a week, which was truth in fact. Everyone watched her carefully, some with surprise, others with only gentle smile, as Vixen was consuming such amounts of meat that no one really believed there could be space for so much of it in her small belly. The only dragoness not glaring at Vixen at that moment was Ivory, since she was exactly as hungry as her and was eating in this same rate. Hunted deer, which previous day seemed to be really much of food as for such a group of dragons, were disappearing in disturbing pace. The others were eating slowly and leaving the tastiest pieces for Ivory and Vixen, understanding that two females must have been terribly hungry. Farady sighed deeply, watching the last deer disappearing in mouths of two exhausted dragonesses.

"I'll go hunt something more." The lightning dragoness declared. "Dante, would you mind?"

"No, not really." Dante stood up. Tris wanted to refuse, but she not really founded an argument to stop her mate. Because she didn't trust Farady? That would sound idiotic, no one would believe that Farady could steal mate from dragoness who was about to lay an egg. No one thought that she could be so heartless. Only she knew it. Or maybe it was just whole this stress? Tris only hissed silently and hung her head, catching sight of her mate leaving out of corner of her eye.

Vixen groaned painfully, as she laid down at the grass near the fire place. "Dear ancestors, I think I've just doubled my weight." She noticed. Sable and Viola, who were sitting next to her, laughed with amusement.

"You shouldn't have eaten so much." The azure dragoness noticed.

"But I wanted." Vixen explained herself with childish voice. Sable only shook his head with disbelief.

"Then you can blame only yourself, little sister." He poked her head gently and black dragoness giggled like an infant. She was so happy that she could hear him calling her like that and so did Sable enjoy those two seemingly casual words.

"I hope I won't get fat because of that." Vixen worried.

"No worries, you need to eat much to regain your strength. Maybe not that much at once, but still, I doubt if there will be any noticeable effects of your feat." Viola assured. She sighed deeply. "I still can't believe that you're really his sister." She confessed.

"Haven't I told Sable that one day, there would stand before you some female and say; Hi,I'm your sister?" She recalled.

"You have." Sable confirmed, smiling with irony. It was so easy for her to say when she was his sister.

"So, should we call you Vixen or Sonrisa now?" Viola asked curiously. The matter of those two names was very confusing for her.

"Sonrisa..." Vixen sighed deeply. "It was my name when I lived in Celeste Tribu. Call me Vixen. It's been my name for last fifteen years, I've got used to it already." She explained. "So, brother..." She grinned, enjoying sound of that word. She watched her paws carefully, still not believing that there was no even a scratch after what Clavius had done to her. Exchange of lifes was indeed a remarkable technique. "You've lost your katanas when you faced Cobro and Clavius. Do you regret it?" She watched him carefully.

"Just the fact that I don't have those anymore?" Sable asked and Vixen nodded. "I terribly miss them. But if that was the price for your life, I would have thrown away my father's sword as well." The lightning dragon explained. Then, Vixen watched Viola carefully.

"Viola, I would like to ask you for something, but I'm not sure, if I should..." She said, watching the azure dragoness uncertainly.

"Go on, Vixen, what is it?" The ice dragoness watched her curiously.

"Could I have my mother's daggers?" Vixen explained what she meant. Viola watched her carefully.

"Give me a moment." She said and stood up, flying to the cave. Two siblings looked in direction of cave curiously. After not more than just a minute, there appeared Viola. At her arms, there were scabbards with two daggers. She sat next to Vixen and started detaching the scabbards from her arms and gave them to the black dragoness. "Those are yours." She explained Vixen, who watched her dumbstruck. The little dragoness felt her eyes were getting wet. She quickly wore scabbards and took her mother's knives in paws, watching them carefully. Each of these had beautifully wavy blade, one gold and another azure. She hid those quickly and jumped at Viola, hugging her strongly. "Thank you!" She closed her eyes, feeling tears of joy flowing down her cheeks. "Thank you, Viola."

"Those daggers should belong to you. If you've only told us your name earlier, I'd give those to you right away." Viola said.

"I think I shouldn't have waited so long." Vixen confessed. "And my belly hurts horribly, right now." She added. She was so fed that such a sudden movement couldn't have any other effect than terrible pain in belly. The couple couldn't help laughing loudly. The little dragoness dropped Viola and laid before them.

"So, why were you waiting whole this time to tell me the truth?" Sable asked.

"It's a series of misfortunes." Vixen explained. "Right after I escaped, dad... Douten I mean..." She shook her head. "Whatever. He told me to forget about everything I've endured in Celeste Tribu. When you appeared, he forbidden me telling you my real identity. I don't' know, if he didn't want all my painful memories to return, or just wanted to make you more vindictive, brother." Vixen shrugged. She still didn't understand the reasons of many of her father's decisions. "And so, I told you nothing. When Venganza fell and my father died, I was so crushed that I felt that I couldn't remain with dragons. I didn't know how to feel, if should I curse my father for how he used me, or curse the guardians who killed him. I knew that if I told you the truth, I wouldn't be able to leave and I couldn't remain within dragons. And now, once I returned..." Vixen sighed deeply. "From the very beginning I knew what was going to happen. I didn't want you to know that your own sister had betrayed you." She hung her head sadly. Then, Sable nuzzled her lovingly.

"That's fine. You're here, safe and sound. That's what matters." He whispered. His sister smiled slightly. "I want to apologize you Vixen for what I've done. I shouldn't have been so mad at you back then. It was wrong of me."

"No, I deserved it. Well, we're still alive, that's what matters." She noticed and hugged with her brother warmly. Then, next to them, there appeared Zheek.

"Hi everyone." He greeted smiling to them, even to Sable, which surprised both females. The fire breather sat next to Vixen. The black dragoness quickly sat as well, she could feel her heart rate spiking. She involuntarily recalled how she kissed him after she had left them. Then, Sable and Viola stood up.

"We'll check how's Captain doing, she still must be very exhausted after using exchange of lifes." The lightning dragon explained. The couple walked away, leaving two young dragons alone. They looked at each other carefully, unsure what to say or do. Neither of them expected such a turn of events.

"I heard that you meant to use your own life energy to save me yesterday." The black dragoness started, very shyly. In mind, she begged her heart to slow down a little. Why didn't listen to her at all?

"Yeah, I did. I would feel terribly, if we've made it this far only to watch you die in front of our eyes. Your death would be so wrong, Vixey. Oh, can I call you with that name?" Zheek asked. The black dragoness giggled silently and kissed his cheek gently.

"Of course you do. It sounds so lovely. Thank you." She whispered. Both young dragons blushed intensively, as they realized what she had just done. There fell awkward silence. "Was it hard to save me?" She asked curiously.

"Well, it wasn't easy. I and Sable had to trust each other, that's why it all went so well." Zheek smiled, watching deeply into her eyes. Then, he jerked his head to watch the cave before him. "You know..." He started. Then, Vixen leaned quickly, barely avoiding his horns from hitting her painfully.

"Hey, watch out!" She scolded him. Zheek's blush could be clearly seen now, even despite his red scales.

"I'm... I'm sorry." He stuttered. Vixen just smiled with amusement.

"I don't mind." She assured him, as she nuzzled him. "You know, I'm still envy about you." She noticed. The fire breather watched her carefully, dumbstruck.

"What about?" He had no idea what she meant.

"About your future mate." The black dragoness explained. "Just to save your friend, you were able to put your life on the line, even throw it away. I wonder what miracles will you be able to do for the one who you love." Vixen sighed deeply. Zheek only smiled, unsure what to say. For some reason, the black dragoness couldn't think of Zheek as even potential lover. Besides, she really wished there was someone to love her as mate, not even realizing that the fire breather with such feelings towards her was sitting right next to her. So many things would be much simpler if she only looked around carefully, wouldn't they?

Dante and Farady were walking across the forest silently, stepping very carefully, not to make any noise. They tried to smell any possible prey, but this far, they weren't luck at all. Farady sighed, shaking her head with annoyance.

"What a waste of time. There's nothing in here." She hissed angrily.

"We should go in other place. We'll find nothing if we keep this pace." The poet noticed. The lightning dragoness smiled slightly. She loved his way of speaking.

"Yeah, I think so too." She confirmed. Both dragons stopped sneaking, but walked normally already knowing that around them, there was no animal, which they could consider as a prey.

"Why did you want to kill that messenger? She couldn't fight back, it wouldn't be fair" Dante watched his companion carefully.

"You know what's the difference between honorable and dishonorable fighter?" The lightning dragoness asked. Dante wanted to say something, but she didn't let him. "Only the second one is still alive." She explained. "Life isn't fair or honorable, Dante. Do you remember how I freed you and Ivory? If I cared if I fought fair, I'd be dead by now and you'd be being tortured in Celeste Tribu." Farady argued.

"But why to kill her right away? There must be another way." Dante disagreed.

"This messenger will cause only troubles to us. Wyverns blindly follow their king, believing that he will protect them, but no king of their would risk his life for ordinary wyvern. I wonder, if guardians are any different from this."

"They are different from this, I know it." Dante assured.

"Have you seen them putting their lives on line just for citizens? Not sending army, but fighting for themselves?" Farady watched him curiously. She didn't know the guardians, only from few stories she had heard and Flush's funeral, where she met Tremor and Candice.

"I haven't seen, but heard that guardians did it." The poet confirmed, recalling the story he heard about defending Certona. "And Spyro and Cynder as well. If you doubt, some examples I can tell."

"No, there's no need. I believe you." Farady smiled warmly and Dante replied with this same. She felt her heart rate spiking. They've been hunting together so many times. She loved every simple time, just like she loved Dante. She didn't try to fight this feeling, if she had an opportunity, she'd steal Tris her mate. She knew it wasn't fair, but did she ever care about honor?

"Dante, could you tell me what do you think about me? I'm really curious about it." She smiled coquettishly and flushed gently. Dante, in his hopeless, so characteristic for poet, idealism, missed the real meaning of her grin at all.

"I find you dragoness young, but surprisingly matured. You're intelligent, clever, even though sometimes you need to be lectured. I'd lie inexcusably refusing that you're beautiful. Gold scales, deep eyes, joyous smile, and slender body, of grace full." Dante was rhyming, presenting his view of the free dragoness. He was smiling, but in honest, friendly way. He liked her, but there was nothing more. "Your character is complicated one. Killing easily, not condemning yourself once it's done. But you are not scared to release a tear. When needed, in joy, sorrow, pain or fear... I find you not honorable, but noble, willing to help those in trouble." Farady smiled, hearing that part. It described her perfectly, in her opinion. "I find you completely free, which is somehow sad to me, since I did not really have opportunity yet, so I could more of you have learnt." Dante finished his rhymed improvisation. The lightning dragoness watched the poet with fascination.

"That was... I really like the way you see me." She confessed, grinning.

"For you, I could write it down." The earth dragon offered.

"You remember it all?" Farady watched him with surprise.

"I've learnt it in my home town." Dante explained.

"You're not born in Warfang, are you?" Farady guessed and the earth dragon shook his head. "So, where are you from?"

"I was born quite far from Warfang, in Greenhold. My parents were finding me leaving it very bold. " The poet explained.

"I think I've heard of it..." The free dragoness wondered. "No, I don't know where is it."

"It's a city in Dragon Shores." Dante explained. "It's not really big, of course."

"So, you've left there your family in there?" Farady asked curiously. She hadn't asked about his personal details earlier, but was really curious about those.

"Yes, my parents and younger sister remained in there." The poet said.

"Do you miss them?" The lightning dragoness watched him curiously.

"Yes. About family, it's really hard not to care." Dante noticed.

"Indeed." Farady agreed, smiling slightly. Oh, she loved the way he was rhyming...

"And do you have any family? You don't speak about this willingly." The earth dragon watched her curiously.

"Not counting Zheek? No, not really." Farady refused. "This naïve moron is my only family." She smiled in joyful, very beautiful way. "We have relatives in south-western forests and even some others in Teria, but I haven't seen any of them for years." Farady explained. She watched the earth guardian carefully and then, grinned. "I wonder..." She glared deeply into his eyes. "How would you behave, if I kissed you?" She asked, as ending of her tail touched his.

"My lips, you mean?" Dante was completely dumbstruck.

"Your lips, I mean." Farady confirmed, grinning. The earth dragon blushed gently, unsure, what to say.

"In just friendly way?" The poet's voice was very careful.

"I doubt this, to be honest." Farady stepped a little closer to the one who she loved.

"Do you want to say..." Then, she pressed her fingers against his mouth.

"Sh... We don't want anyone to hear us, do we?" The free dragoness giggled silently. She felt her heart hammering and cheeks turning crimson. "So, what would you say, if I did this?" And after these words, Farady kissed him. The poet was so dumbstruck that he didn't even try to oppose, only stood still. The lightning dragoness placed her arms on his neck and they fell on the long grass. The free dragoness closed her eyes, letting joy overwhelm her. "It's really happening. It's really happening!" She screamed in her mind. And then, she felt sudden, painful pressure against her underbelly. She was pushed away rapidly. She opened her eyes to see Dante, who had rolled away from her and stood up in defensive pose, hissing hatefully and with all his scales erected. He was angry like never before.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He scolded her loudly. The free dragoness watched the poet surprised by turn of events, maybe even more than Dante himself. It was her turn not to know what to say.

"Dante... I... I love you." She stuttered.

"So what?! Does it entitle you to kiss me?!" The poet shouted angrily. In Farady's eyes, there appeared tears, but he not really cared about those. Not after what she meant to do. "Don't you get it that I don't feel any love towards you?! I have Tris! Soon, I'll become father!" He hissed angrily and stepped forward to her. "Don't you dare trying to ruin this with your egoistic desires!" Farady hung her head sadly, not able to face the poet anymore. Then, he walked next to her and passed by her.

"You return to the others. I'll hunt something." He decided. After these words, Dante disappeared in forest. The lightning dragoness watched him sadly. She returned to their cave two hours later. Dante, who kept his promise and hunted three deer, came back to there at the very evening. Once he returned, Tris greeted him with sigh of relief. She hugged her mate lovingly before the entrance to the cave, where was no one except the couple.

"There you are. Farady said that you'd be back, but..." Then, Dante interrupted her, kissing the fire breather passionately. They enjoyed these endless seconds when their lips were connecting and tongues dancing around each other.

"I love you." Dante whispered, as he nuzzled her. His eyes stopped for several seconds at Tris's curved belly. His thoughts focused on Farady. How could she be so egoistic to try to ruin his happiness? The fire dragoness caught her mate's sight.

"I can't wait for her to hatch." She confessed.

"Her?" Dante asked with disbelief. "You can't know it yet."

"I think I do." Tris giggled. "I want to have daughter."

"And I'd prefer son." He replied, smiling slightly. "Maybe we'll have twins?" He wondered.

"No, Ivory already checked this possibility. I'll have daughter anyway." Tris decided firmly, as if she was the one to choose that. "Dante, I think... I want to have with you second child as well." She confessed. The poet didn't know what to say.

"We still don't have even the first one. Don't you think we're going a little too far in the future?" He noticed. Tris blush slightly.

"I know, but... I'm sure that I want to have second hatchling as well." She explained. Dante kissed her gently.

"If you wish so, my lady." He agreed without any doubts.

It was already middle of the dark night. The cave was lit by only one or two torches, inadvertently not extinguished giving terribly weak light in which dragon could hardly see. The only well lit place was right before the entrance to cave where were laying Dante and Tris, surrounded by beautifully subtle moonlight. Oroescama pretending that she was sleeping at the very end of cave, next to the wall not really cared about it. This weak light was all that she needed. She was laying with her paws tied up behind her back in really uncomfortable pose. She put her forehead on the ground and stood at hinder legs. Suddenly straightening those, she managed to stand up. Then, she started palpating with her bound paws the irregular wall behind her. She smiled, as she found what she needed. It was little, hook-shaped stone sticking out of the wall. She hooked her tie on it and moved paws left, loosening it a little. She practically felt no difference, but with time... She started operating gently with her paws in such a way that in less than quarter, she already started feeling effects. And then, her ties slipped down the stone, wyverness fell on the ground and stone cut her arm deeply, leaving long, quite intensively bleeding wound. She barely stopped herself from screaming painfully, but only hissed. She stood up again and continued her job, this time, much more carefully. In about half an hour, she loosened her ties well enough to release her paws. She smiled triumphantly as bled rope fell on the ground and Oroescama watched her paws carefully.

"Welcome back, freedom." She said to herself in mind. The wyverness sneaked silently through the cave and she stood at the entrance. Before her, there was long for at least ten meters line of those little, cracking stones lit by moonlight. Right behind her, there were sleeping Dante and that shallow-sleeper, Tris. The messenger wondered what to do next. Flying was out of the question. Just one beat of wings would make such an echo that it would wake up everyone, she already heard dragons flying inside there. She couldn't jump above these cracking stones, not even glide. It was simply too long distance to land on the other side silently. Oroescama sighed deeply. It looked like she had no other choice. She stepped right before these stones and placed her foot gently on those, hoping that the noise wouldn't be very loud. She was wrong. The stones cracked loudly and Oroescama stopped immediately. She heard Tris muttering something, still sleeping. She moved her foot back and the stones cracked, this time quieter. She was stuck. And she couldn't just wear her ties back on. Firstly, she wasn't able to tie herself up. The secondly, the dragons would start asking how did she get that wound of hers. The messenger of Celeste Tribu looked around. Her eyes stopped at Tris, being hugged intensively by her mate. The wyverness sighed deeply and walked to the fire breather. She hadn't big choice. And besides, why would she care? One dragon less… It didn't make any difference to her. Oroescama stood right before her and placed her talons on Tris's neck, about to slit her throat.

"Don't do it." She heard female voice. The wyverness felt creeps all across her body. From shadows, there appeared white dragoness with her eyes glowing intensively with magic. "Don't do it if you want to live, Oroescama." The medic stood several meters from wyverness.

"I thought you were sleeping, dragon." The messenger noticed.

"I was. But two meters before that cracking stones, I placed a gentle magical aura, sensitive to any interruption. The other ones are placed outside, around the cave. In the moment you passed through it, this disturbance woke me up and I created shield closing you the only escape." Ivory explained. "It's one of several tricks, which I've learnt while in Celeste Tribu."

"So I'm not leaving this place. Not alive." Oroescama summed up.

"Step away from her." The white dragoness ordered. The messenger was holding her paw in such a way that whatever Ivory did, she would manage to kill Tris.

"And why should I? I will die anyway, so there will be no difference, if I die now or later." The wyverness noticed.

"There is a difference." Ivory disagreed. "First of all, you still have a chance to make it alive out from your situation. And secondly, if you kill Tris…" Ivory's eyes started glowing more intensively with magic, as her emotions were taking her over slowly."Your death will be slow and painful. Very painful. In fact, there exist ways of giving pain that you don't even imagine." She promised with fearfully cold, doubled by magic voice. Then, Ivory quickly cooled down and released herself from influence of her destructive magic.

"I'd rather die than tell you anything. I will never betray my kingdom." Oroescama's voice was firm, inflexible. Ivory laughed silently and shook her head.

"Wyverness, we'll escape those forests either with or without your support. If you don't do anything stupid, like you're about to, we'll take you to the very Warfang. You're the messenger of the Celeste Tribu and you will be very helpful to us." The white dragoness spoke in such a way, as if the wyverness was just a child who needed to have everything explained. If not the need of remaining silent, Oroescama would most likely laugh aloud.

"Helpful, huh?" The wyverness gave her skeptical sight. "I know how such a situations are dealt with, I've heard of Nazir incident." Ivory watched her carefully, unsure what she meant. Noticing that, Oroescama sighed deeply. "Fifty years ago, Celeste Tribu and Vetusto Tribu were at war. Vetusto quickly started losing and it wanted to surrender, so they've sent messenger to negotiate terms of truce. The messenger, Nazir, was representative of the Vetusto, so in Celeste Tribu, he was accused of all the death caused in time of war and sentenced to death. His execution was clear signal for that Celeste expected unconditional surrender. Vetusto did it within next several weeks and since then, it's under absolute control of Celeste Tribu." The wyverness finished. "I don't want to die as Nazir, in public execution, which would be clear sign for my kingdom. I know that you, dragons, won't just forget about what we've done. Especially not death of that earth dragon, Crag."

"No, we won't forget." Ivory confirmed. "But don't adulate yourself. Even, if dragons claimed their rights in such a way, your life isn't worth to me as much as Crag's. It wouldn't be a fair trade." She noticed. "We will need you in Warfang for another purpose."

"Which is?" Wyverness could not really believe that.

"You will be our messenger. Guardians will send to Celeste Tribu message about this incident to solve it without causing a war. Dragons don't want war." Ivory assured her.

"How can I know that those aren't just empty words and at this very tomorrow, you'll start torturing me?" Oroescama obviously needed guarantee of her safety.

"You have to trust us." Ivory explained. She couldn't give her any. The messenger snorted.

"I'm afraid that I can't afford to do it." She refused. As the messenger of the most important information in the kingdom, she knew that she couldn't trust any kidnapper.

"So you'll choose to die?" Ivory watched her with surprise. "Is there no one to whom you would want to return? No family, no one who you would love?" The white dragoness decided to use her own feelings against her.

"My mate died in pandemic. All that remained to me is my little Jade… But she will make it without mother. She's strong." Oroescama was absolutely sure about it, or at least she behaved, as if she was.

"You have daughter." Ivory noticed, smiling slightly. "How old is she?"

"Just a month." The wyverness explained.

"You love her, don't you?" The medic noticed and wyverness nodded slightly. "Look at Tris, could you?" The white dragoness suggested. Oroescama's eyes focused on Tris.

"So?" She asked, missing the point.

"She's pregnant. Soon, she will become mother. If only she lives several months longer. And you, though you already can't gain anything by doing it, want to deprive her from this joy. You will achieve nothing. And Tris? She will never see her child, never hug it. She will be given no chance to call her child, not even to look deeply into its eyes and whisper: I love you." Ivory sighed deeply. "Is it fair?" She asked. The wyverness clenched her teeth, trying to fight growing in her emotions.

"No. It's not." She admitted with resignation. "But… is it fair that I won't see my child anymore?" She asked.

"You will, only if you give up on killing her." Ivory offered.

"How can I trust you?" The wyverness watched her carefully.

"Because I'm lonely mother just like you. I exactly know how you feel. As long, as you don't attack us, I'll make sure that nothing will happen to you." The white dragoness said.

"Can you promise?" Oroescama asked. Normally, she would never care about any promise, but there was something so familiar about Ivory… She knew that she wasn't lying. "Can you promise, Ivory?"

"I swear on my son's life." The white dragoness promised on the most precious person of her life. Oroescama looked deeply into her eyes. Then, she dropped Tris's neck.

"So be it." She stepped away from the fire breather. "I'll entrust my life to you, lonely mother." She agreed. "Bind me, if you could. I hope that you won't tell anyone about this." She suggested. Ivory confirmed silently. The white dragoness went quickly for the rope and tied the messenger strongly. She did it carefully, aware that wyverness could still try to attack her. But Oroescama didn't. She didn't know why, but she didn't even consider it. Ivory cleared and healed her arm quickly. Several minutes later, the wyverness laid down on the cold ground and quickly fell asleep, wondering what would await for her the next day.


	43. Chapter 42

Chapter 42. "Closer"

The next day, all dragons woke up quite rested, only Ivory, for unknown to anybody reason, still seemed to be exhausted. Previous day's Farady and Dante's hunting wasn't really successful. The lightning dragoness returned with nothing and the poet hadn't been really lucky as well. Dante sat right before the entrance to the cave and then, right next to him, there appeared Tris.

"Hi, sweety." The fire breather nuzzled her mate lovingly. She caught sight of Farady out of corner of her eye. The free dragoness seemed to be very gloomy. "You know, I wonder what happened between you two. Just a day ago you seemed to be friends and now…" Tris was trying to speak, as if she was sad about this, but it not really worked as planned. Dante smiled gently, hearing her tries.

"I and Farady…" He watched carefully the free dragoness who soon disappeared in forest. "There was some ambiguity. She meant something not really likeable to thee." He explained evasively.

"Could I know what did she expect from you?" Tris asked hopefully. Dante only shook his head. It would be much better for everyone not to know about it, Dante didn't want two dragonesses hating each other and fighting when they were in such a situation. The couple was talking for several minutes more, when Zheek and Sable left the cave and headed to the forest.

"And where are your two going?" Tris watched them curiously.

"We'll do some scouting to see, if we can escape to the south. We'll be back before the evening." Keezheekoni explained. Two dragons jumped in the air and flew between trees. "I wonder, if there are any wyverns." He said. Sable only shrugged.

"I have no idea. I hope not." Then, he smiled. "You and Vixen look really adorable, you know?" He noticed. Zheek blushed, not sure what to say. "Well, I still give you no chance, but it's nice to watch you two sitting next to each other."

"Thanks." Zheek said ironically and sighed deeply. Just two weeks earlier, he would most likely give the lightning dragon annoyed sight and snort angrily. But now... At his lips, there danced slight smile. Their relationship had somehow changed. Facing such a tragedy, as Vixen's death had enclosed two males to each other . Sable still neither believed in norwould approve him and Vixen being couple, as Zheek could guess, but it was hard to refuse fact that those two couldn't be called enemies anymore. Who knows, maybe they were even friends?

"Why are you so negative about me and Vixen?" He asked.

"Because." Sable shrugged. "I don't know." It was hard for him to find the answer. Maybe it was just that someone that scatterbrained as Zheek not really fit Vixen, in his opinion? Or it could be the fact that he was her older brother with natural, involuntary will to protect her from any danger, especially candidates for mate.

"Yeah, now I understand." Zheek thanked sarcastically.

"I know it wasn't really comprehensive explanation, but I not really can define it any better." Sable couldn't disagree in that matter. Two males were flying slowly and carefully in silence for next several hours. Lack of any conversation wasn't caused by personal reasons, but in fact that talking, they could miss possible wyverns or, what would be much worse, they could be heard by enemy. Their scouting was passing unbearably long, as if time decided to slow down especially for two dragons to enjoy this doubtful pleasure of the state of maximum awareness, when even the gentlest move of grass could cause heart forget to beat and mind call vision of ambush settled by wyverns for them. This was one of these moments when consciousness that someone was waiting for you wasn't encouraging at all. Sudden wind blew to Sable and Zheek, bringing with it some noises and, what disturbed dragons, speech. Two males landed and hid immediately, watching each other carefully and listening to the voices.

"Wyverns." Zheek whispered. Sable nodded confirming. The winds were lucky for them, they could hear and smell wyverns, but their enemies couldn't say this same about themselves. "Are we going back?" He suggested.

"No, let's get closer." He decided.

"What for? We already know where are they." The fire breather didn't like that idea. He wasn't scared, but didn't want to take unnecessary risk.

"But we don't know where and from are they going. If they go south, we can just follow them to break through them once they reach the border. If they're going north..." Sable sighed deeply. He really disliked that option. "Then we have problems." Two dragons sneaked silently in direction of wyvern camp, begging in mind for that wind wouldn't rapidly change because then, they would be the ones to be smelled without any problem. They enclosed to the camp and the noises were getting louder and louder. Finally, they reached it. There was not really big squad of soldiers, not more than twenty of them. They had no tents, or anything like that, only the bonfire around which, there were sitting several of those, roasting some meat. Sable and Zheek hid about ten meters from the closest enemies, in high grass, and listened to their voices, trying to catch any conversation. Two dragons spent like that at least fifteen minutes when Sable finally heard something interesting.

"What a weather. It's going to rain." One of wyverns, turned with his back to the dragons, said in his native language.

"It will be a heavy rain. Storm." Wyvern sitting several meters from his companion agreed.

"The intensive one." The other soldier agreed. "It's good that we're heading north already. I'm already tired with all these orders from king. Why would he care so badly about several dragons?" Sable wanted to eavesdrop something more, when Zheek poked him. The lightning dragon watched him curiously, not understanding what he meant. Wind had stopped. In fact, it was turning. Wyverns could smell them soon. Two dragons started sneaking away, hoping that they'd escape in time. They already had all the information they needed. Sable and Zheek were sneaking across the high grass and then, they heard one of wyverns.

"Hey, there's someone in the grass!" Two dragons, perfectly aware that enemy meant them, searched for any hideout. Zheek quickly hid behind the old willow tree right next to him and silently climbed on its top, hiding in leaves high above enemies' heads. He had learnt how to climb trees noiselessly years earlier. Sable had more serious problem about hiding. When the wyverns spotted the movement, he was too far from any tree to hide. He only laid in the deep grass, disappearing in it. At the first sight, no one would notice him, but if wyverns bother themselves with coming to him for ten or less meters... Sable cursed silently. Killing those wyverns wasn't solution. Some of them were most likely hunting and if they saw the corpses of their companions, they would quickly call reinforcements and wyverns were organized in such a way that before they reached the border, half of wyvern army would have already surrounded them. All that lightning dragon could do was begging in his mind that wyverns wouldn't get close enough to notice him. And then, there appeared several deer running madly across the forest, exactly through the place where Sable was hiding. One of them kicked dragon's chest painfully, but he didn't release even the slightest hiss of pain. If wyverns watched the animals carefully, they'd see that fur of the first of those was burnt a little at the back, but none of soldiers even tried to search for anything suspicious. One of them just snorted angrily.

"That's nothing, only deer." He noticed. All the wyverns turned around and returned to their camp about fifty meters farther. Sable would sigh with relief, if only he wasn't scared, if wouldn't wyverns spot them. After about five minutes of complete motionlessness, Zheek smoothly jumped down the tree, almost making no noise, and Sable stood up. Two dragons started getting away from the camp quickly. Before they said anything, there had passed already half an hour.

"Nice job, Zheek." Sable congratulated, as he was absolutely sure that no wyverns would hear them. "I have no idea what would I do, if not you and those deer."

"It's an old trick and they keep falling on that." Zheek replied, smiling slightly. "Are you alright? I thought one of them kicked you." He watched his companion with concern.

"It did, but it only hurts a little, nothing serious." Sable hissed painfully, as he touched one of his first left ribs. "If I have bad luck, it could break it. But what really worries me now is what will we do. Those wyverns are much faster than when I learnt about their strategies as a prince of Celeste."

"Which means?" Zheek still missed the point. Though he knew about their situation as much, as Sable did, he did not fully realize the threat spreading above the dragons.

"We're in trouble. I'll tell you all the details once we're back." Sable explained tersely. He didn't explain anything more until they returned to their cave. It was already late, dark evening. All the dragons were waiting for them impatiently.

"Sable!" Viola hung at her mate's neck and kissed him lovingly.

"I'm here. Sorry for being late." Sable apologized the ice dragoness and kissed her.

"What happened?" Viola watched him curiously. Being late was her mate's habit, but she could read from his face expression that something was wrong.

"Let's come inside, I'll explain everything there." Sable suggested. All the dragons entered the cave, Tris set on fire a torch, which had been extinguished by sudden blow of wind and Vixen brought a map. Meanwhile Ivory warned Oroescama that she'd create around her a barrier, which was completely soundproof, but also didn't allow for any air exchange and calmed her that she'd open it for several seconds every minute. All the dragons sat in the circle.

"So, at this moment, we're here." Sable pointed at the map a place located at southern-east from Celeste Tribu, in about halfway to the border of wyverns' lands. "Now, I should explain you, how do the wyverns pursue the fugitives. They have really much of practice in doing that, they had hundreds years to improve it. Viola, Dante and Vixen already know it quite well, since we planned together our previous movements, but the others haven't much of it, have you?" The dragons shook their heads, confirming. Sable smiled ironically. Many fugitives, most likely political, tried to escape Celeste Tribu. And the only ones to ever succeed were him and Vixen sixteen years earlier, only because no one really chased them once they left the caves. Sable hoped that he'd repeat this achievement. "At first, they estimate possible maximal speed of the fugitives. At the beginning, ours was really small, because Viola was wounded seriously. In such a situation, wyverns have been searching for us in circle of not really big diameter. Luckily, they perfectly knew that in the cave hidden by the waterfall, there dwelled only an old exile." Then, Sable smiled meaningfully to Zheek and Farady. "In spite of this, we probably wouldn't be able to escape this first stage, if not Vixen and her courageous plan." The lightning dragon watched his sister's reaction carefully. Vixen only giggled childishly and blushed slightly. "When we left the first stage of their chasing, they had already started the second one a day or two earlier. It's a circle, widening regularly to the very end of the wyvern lands. When I've learnt of it, this was very slow, since wyverns hadn't had many opportunities to practice it and it wasn't the easy one. Every group, once a day, sent to its neighbors rapports, so they would know about any incident very quickly. But, for last fifteen years, since I saw it for the last time, they improved it very much. They're already at the third stage: tightening the circle back. Here, I have question to Zheek and Farady. Is there any cave or hideout not counting the one behind the waterfall, where wyverns wouldn't possibly find us?" He watched the siblings hopefully.

"I'm afraid not." Zheek shook his head.

"No, there is none." Farady agreed with her brother, confirming Sable's worries.

"Then we have to come back to the waterfall." The lightning dragon decided.

"What? Why?" Tris asked, hardly believing his words. "We'll lose so many kilometers! Can't we simply break through them?"

"Revealing our position just in the halfway? That would be suicide." Sable disagreed. "You see, this works like domino. Wyverns, especially their trained soldiers, are a little faster than dragons. If we break circle, we'll quickly have on our heads some wyverns, who will be slowing us down until the next wyverns come to slow us more and so on. Eventually, there would be half of their army surrounding us." Sable explained.

"So we're going back to where from we've come. What next?" Dante asked.

"We will wait for those wyverns to pass by us once more. Then, we head straight south. If, for once, everything goes according to the plan, we will leave the wyvern lands soon." Sable explained.

"That's kind of risky, don't you think?" Tris noticed, still skeptical about this plan.

"Everything we do here is risky." Sable said. "And it's the best plan I've come up with. Does anyone have any other idea?" He watched curiously all his companions.

"No, yours sounds logical. You know those wyverns, so it will be the best to base on your knowledge." Farady agreed with Sable. "We'd better be going by bow, we shouldn't waste any more time." She suggested with justified note of impatience. All dragons agreed to that without any doubts. They left the cave in less than next ten minutes into completely dark night. The moon was hiding above the black wall of storm clouds, coming from the south. The first drops of rain fell at their backs in the moment when they took flight.

Compared to fur, scales have several advantages. They give no protection from cold, but they're harder than any fur and they're beautiful, each of them like little gem shining in the sunlight. Besides, dragon, leaving the river, still looks majestically with drips of water soaking down the scales. No wolf or cheetah could say this same about themselves. It was hard to refuse the statement that scales were very good protection from water. But now always. Sometimes, rain could be that intensive that despite having theoretically watertight protection, dragon could feel every square centimeter of body being terribly soaked and cold. That evening, such a rain caught guardians when they were just about to leave behind the Great Lake, just about to reach the very last dragon villages of the north.

"We had perfect timing to start flying in such a moment." Tremor noticed, smirking.

"This rain is so annoying." Cynder, flying behind him, agreed.

"Putting it mildly, of course." The earth guardian jerked his head curiously.

"Don't complain, sweety, fly." Candice replied seemingly coldly. She heard the roar of lightning and saw intensive light.

"That was close, less than a kilometer." Stella noticed. "We better find place where we could hide." The guardians were already flying very low above the trees, not wanting to risk being hit by a lightning.

"What place? In this rain, even the biggest tree makes no difference." Cynder said and sighed deeply."But I wouldn't mind finding some cave where we could hide." She jerked her head at the side and then, she noticed some lights. "Hey, there's something!" She pointed those out. All three guardians watched it carefully.

"What's that?" Tremor asked, watching the lights carefully. It was pretty hard to notice anything through this wall of water, indulgently called rain.

"I guess it's some village." Stella said. "Let's check this out." She suggested. There was no need for her to repeat herself. All dragons headed there. Just a thought that they could possibly hide from that downpour was invigorating. Luckily, lightning guardian's guess appeared to be true. It was not really big village, there was only one line of houses, nothing more. The dragons landed at the village's end and knocked at the very first door they saw. They didn't have to wait long, it opened after just several seconds. Before the guardians, there stood much older than them fire breather.

"Dear ancestors, what are you doing outside in such a weather? Please, come in." He stepped back, so all the guardians could enter. "Naida, bring some towels!" He called. In room behind him, there could be heard some movement, noise of opened and closed cupboards and there appeared the ice dragoness in age similar to the fire breather's. She quickly handed the guardians some towels, so they could dry themselves. Then, there could be some steps and at the stairs, there appeared little white dragoness. She stuck her head out from behind the corner and watched them carefully.

"Who are they, grandpa?" She asked curiously.

"I am Tremor, this is my mate Candice, Stella and Cynder." The earth guardian introduced all of them. The fire breather watched Cynder really carefully.

"Cynder, I didn't expect you'd come here again." Then, he smiled slightly. "I'm glad to see you in this… form." Ignifier turned at three other guardians. "Neither I expected the three of guardians to come. My name is Ignifier, this is my mate, Naida and my granddaughter..." He turned at the little dragoness, still hiding behind the corner."Don't be so shy." He encouraged her. The white dragoness jumped down the stairs, so all the guardians could see her. All her scales were white except three green lines going across her left arm and ending at the torso, creating beautiful ornament of her clear scales. But what riveted the guardians' attention was that she lacked her left wing. She had no scar, or anything, but simply no wing.

"My name is Idris." The little dragoness introduced herself.

"Come, my guests, we'll sit, I'll give you something hot to drink. Such a nasty weather to travel, isn't it?" Ignifier leaded all the dragons to the living room, where dragons sat before table and the fire breather started preparing something in the place that could definitely be called alchemist lab. There were several shelves with lots of herbs, the guardians couldn't recognize the most of those.

"Are you an alchemist?" Tremor asked with disbelief.

"No, not me, but Naida is the village alchemist." The fire dragon explained. He took several glasses and with hot breath, warmed those. Then, he handed them to the four dragons and little Idris, when she asked her grandfather. All the dragons thanked silently and started drinking it. It was pleasant in taste, warming liquid. There could be felt juices of several fruits, mixed in such a way that it was hard to recognize all of them.

"Tell me, what brings you here?" Ignifier asked his guests.

"We're heading to Celeste Tribu. Our friends fell in the trouble in there, we don't know what has happened to them." Cynder explained.

"Hasn't dad left to Celeste Tribu?" Idris glared at her father curiously.

"Those were dragons only from Warfang: Sable, Viola, Ivory, Crag..." Stella started enumerating.

"My dad's name is Crag!" Little dragoness interrupted him. "He lived in Warfang for last several years, not knowing that I still was here. He visited us some time ago and promised that once we'd leave, he'd take me to Warfang with himself!" Idris explained. The guardians watched each other with surprise.

"If that's so, we're going to help your dad get out of there." Stella smiled warmly to little dragoness.

"Idris, go to bed, it's late already." Ignifier suggested.

"But dad..." Idris gave her father begging sight. Somehow, this view recalled Stella Arriate and she felt creeps across her body.

"Go to bed." Ignifier said firmly. "Naida, could you put her to the bed?" He pleased. The ice dragoness stood up and took her granddaughter.

"Could you tell my dad that I love him?" Idris asked the guardians. She couldn't wait to meet her father. Cynder nodded slightly.

"We will." She promised. The little hatchling smiled, hearing that, and she was taken upstairs, to her sleeping room. All the dragons watched her carefully.

"So, what happened to them?" Ignifier asked with worries.

"We don't know yet. There were two incidents with elite soldiers of Celeste Tribu who ambushed or kidnapped dragons. One of targets were most likely children of the members of group who left to wyverns. We still don't know what could possibly happen to them." Tremor explained the situation.

"You have no news from them?" The fire breather could hardly believe that.

"No, not at all." Stella confirmed. "But we're optimistic. Even, if wyverns tried to kill them, those dragons are very skilled fighters, the chance for them to escape would be quite high."

"I see." Ignifier sighed deeply. "Why did guardians send those dragons there without certainty that it's safe?"

"We didn't send them, they only asked us for permission to go there. Besides, we've lived in peace with northern wyverns and no one even expected such a turn of events." Candice explained.

"Why does Idris have no wing?" Tremor asked, changing the subject of conversation. The old fire breather only shrugged.

"She was born lacking it. No medic could really help that." He said.

"What happened to her mother?" Candice watched Ignifier curiously.

"She was killed by the wolves before Idris hatched. She died protecting her and Crag and he, being told that Idris was killed as well, pushed by hatred, left and kill all these wolves. Then, he came to Warfang." The fire breather explained.

"So for whole this time he didn't know that she lived?" Stella could hardly believe that.

"He didn't." Old dragon confirmed. While the conversation, the heavy rain, neither storm didn't ease up at all. The guardians spend next three hours talking with Ignifier and Naida and then, they went sleeping. At the morning, they meant to leave early, but they overslept and when they left the house, they were greeted by all the villagers, because of which they've spent there several hours more. About the midday of the next day, they had already left behind that little village and headed straight north. To their friends. As they were heading to the north, Idris watched them very carefully, disturbed for unknown to anyone reason.

"What bothers you?" Her grandfather stood next to her, concerned.

"Grandpa…" A simple tear fell down her cheek. She had a nightmare the previous night. "Dad… Something went bad. Very bad." She whispered silently. She didn't know it, but she felt it by her heart.


	44. Chapter 43

Chapter 43. "The message for royalty"

In Celeste Tribu, catching sight of some wyvern, or rather only silver flash rushing madly, called royal messengers, wasn't rarity at all. Everyone had already got used to them, as a part of countryside, like torches, for example. In fact, wyverns knew that they could be concerned, if they didn't meet any for several days, which would mean that they were outside Tribu and something was happening. All citizens perfectly knew that seeing wyvern with beautifully ornamented armor, it was the best to just stand aside, but not to try to stop him, which could end up with several broken bones. Young wyvern, his name was Karyu, grinned, as he watched the passersby standing out of his way. He loved this job for the respect of the society. It wasn't this respect felt towards nobility, forced and mixed with fear, but it was respect for average wyvern, who achieved something great in his life. When he would show up in his armor or just mention about his job, people would appear to behave much nicer towards him than just a moment earlier. Thanks to this position, he had been noticed by a wyverness who he had been in love with since ever and now, he was already father of three-year-old, little wyverness with beautiful blue eyes, just like her father's. It was incredible that several pieces of ornamented metal could have changed so much in his life. Of course, this job hadn't only advantages, telling so would be a terrible lie. First of all, being royal messenger was not just a job. It was a way of life. At every moment, his headquarters knew his position, he couldn't leave Celeste without serious reason and special, official permission. Besides, he had to be able to leave for a mission round-the-clock. Only some extremely important situations, like funerals or birth of the close family members, were exceptions and still, not always. He was really lucky that he had never missed something this important to him. Karyu remembered that when his daughter was hatching, he kept looking nervously at the door. What he was scared was seeing it opening, some mysterious, scarred wyvern enter, say his cold "ten minutes" and leave. To farewell his family, he had only ten minutes. That wasn't much, especially when his missions could last even months. But it was all the time he would be given. After those ten minutes, he would leave and that scarred wyvern, whose name he didn't even know, would give him small sheet of paper with details of his mission and instruction, if should he head to headquarters, straight to the city gate or, very rarely, to Señor de la Tribu himself where he was heading in that very moment. The missions of messengers weren't just simple repeating the message and returning with response. It could be anything that didn't involve using violence: spying, negotiations, disinformation, delivering orders, leading soldiers to some defined places. Besides, those could be sometimes really dangerous. The messengers were very frequent targets of ambushes and even rarer victims of those. They knew not only how to fight, but also how to avoid traps and ambushes and survive in even the most extreme conditions. The wyvern who wanted to become messenger had thousands things to learn perfectly: strategy, policy, history, rhetoric, two languages, strategy, logistic, martial arts, survival, or even sprinting... Before headquarters would decide that wyvern was ready to become the royal messenger, there could pass fifteen, twenty, or maybe even twenty five years of training, which would start at age of eight. The average time was eighteen years. Twenty-five-year-old Karyu and his five years earlier sister, Oroescama, were absolute record-holders at that point; it took each of them only eleven years. They were the most promising couple of this generation of messengers. Karyu noticed before himself some mother with crying hatchling. He jumped above those quickly, sparing the wyverness an effort of taking her sorrowful youngster away. The messenger sighed deeply, as his thoughts focused on Oroescama. He had been against sending her at that mission, even though it was relatively safe. He really disliked an idea of sending outside the messenger with only one year of real experience at this time. He had bad feelings about that, this same as when he was about to step into a trap. But he could not really help it. He wasn't member of headquarters, but a messenger. Karyu took out from his gauntlet small sheet of paper and read the news. His eyes grew wide in disbelief. Was it really happening? He burnt the sheet of paper to dust at some torch in several seconds and slipped between two arguing wyverns. Lost in his thoughts, he ran next to some racing teenagers and overtaking them so fast that they could swear they weren't rushing forward, but having just a careless walk. He was enclosing to gates of Throne Hall. Two guards, noticing his ornamented armor, opened it quickly, so young messenger ran in and stopped before the king sitting at his throne. Karyu bowed deeply.

"What are the news?" Verdad asked, watching him curiously.

"The royal messenger, Oroescama, was found, all tied up and abandoned in forest. She says that she's been caught by dragons. She had eavesdropped their conversation where, once they realized our positions, they planned moving the two circles of soldiers to the west where they expect to find a gap." Karyu's heart was leaping in joy, as he informed king about that. He had been already sure that his sister had been killed. Still, his voice remained this same, monotonous, containing some note of submissiveness, not influenced by his excitement at all. That was one of his abilities: he had learnt how not to let his emotions influence his speech. "There's also report that wyverns have made contact with dragons at the south from finding Oroescama. It's at the southern-east, a little closer than half-way to the border. Also, Oroescama warns that dragons could have abandoned her only to cause disinformation to our soldiers."

"I see." Verdad considered the situation for several seconds. "Karyu, bring my sons here, you have half an hour for that." Señor de la Tribu knew this messenger very well, sometimes, he would even call him by his name.

"I understood." Karyu confirmed.

"When we have suspicion of those dragons trying to escape south, we can't ignore it. Take soldiers from north and lead them to west to tighten the circle there. Besides, I want you to call wyverns from east to head south to the dragons. And, I want to be given the new reports every twelve hours. Take as many messengers with you, as you find it needed." The king ordered.

"Whatever you wish, my king." Karyu bowed deeply, counting in his thoughts. One experienced messenger to north, so he could lead big group of soldiers at the west. He would head himself to east. For regular reports, he would need four messengers. It was easy task, he wanted to send there three novices and someone experienced that would take care of them.

"Now, is there anything else?" Verdad asked.

"No, my king." Karyu bowed deeply, remembering that when speaking with members of the royal family, it was never too much of submissiveness.

"Then you're dismissed." Señor de la Tribu decided.

"Yes, my king." The messenger bowed once more and left.

In the moment when Karyu was having audience with Verdad himself, eight dragons were flying through the forest quickly above the endless forests. In theory, Sable's plan was good. When agreeing to it, they had seen no reason for which, it could possibly fail. Their real problem was that they couldn't know the reason for which, it had no right work out. Sable, neither any of his companions, could expect that increased speed of circle was the only improvement strategy, but in the third stage, there was used also the second, internal circle, extending from Celeste Tribu to its borders. It managed to leave waterfall cave before dragons had any possible chance to reach it and they were stuck between two circles. Dragons left Oroescama making sure that she was certain that they would head west and meanwhile, stuck between the stone and the hard place, they decided to break through this stone called external ring and head south, straight in direction of dragons. Sable didn't like that idea. He would love to avoid doing so from the bottom of his heart, since revealing their position this early was terribly reckless. He would rather verify for himself theory, if spending more than five minutes underwater would cause irreversible changes in dragon brain. In fact, if only he had such a choice, he would choose the goal number two without a moment of hesitation. His problem in that situation was quite simple: he wasn't given such. And so, eight dragons were flying south, slowed down by more and more wyverns. But still they were heading to their home in quite good pace. Wyverns had serious problems with slowing down someone that could kill them without even touching them. And none of soldiers wanted to try killing those dragons since everyone realized that even, if he succeeded, he wouldn't live enough to at least realize that. Everyone waited for someone else to do that and so, no one did. One of the most serious problems for dragons was sleeping, but they solved it with system used by wyvern soldiers: they were sleeping in three groups on backs of their comrades, each group for eight hours. They not really had time for any hunting, so the problems with food and drink they solved simply collecting fruits from trees growing beneath them and drinking water from rivers above which, they often flew. Dragons weren't only flying south. They would often speed up rapidly, escaping pursuers for an hour or two and buying themselves several kilometers more. The person who all the dragons worried about at the most, was Tris. Just apples, especially in the small number they could gather, suppressed by wyverns, couldn't give enough energy to keep flying for so many hours without any additional source of energy. Since she had practically no fat that could provide it to her, her body would quickly start consuming proteins of her muscles, which could appear to be deadly threat to her child. That was why she spent the most of time carried by others. At first, she wasn't happy about that idea, but once explained what was the reason, she didn't refuse at all. The advantage of dragons' situation was that wyverns hadn't any better situation with food or sleeping so if it came to real fight, they wouldn't have any advantage caused by that. And so, days were passing in gloomy, silent atmosphere, even more emphasized by not stopping, heavy rain.

Karyu was probably the fastest of all the messengers, so bringing all three princes to Throne Hall didn't take him half an hour, but only quarter. All three wyverns, wearing their swords, entered the great hall. They stood several meters from their father and bowed before him. Verdad watched his sons from throne placed about meter above the floor. He stood up and slowly walked down marble stairs to stand before them. Oscuro, standing at his left, caught sight of great map hanging on the wall, out of corner of his eye. He knew what that audience meant. Sable still was in wyvern kingdom and soldiers found him. So the game was over. No one ever escaped wyvern army.

"I've been just reported that the dragon fugitives were found at the southern-east from Celeste Tribu." Verdad said with note of pride.

"So, the show's over, Sable." Cobro said triumphantly. Oscuro just sighed stealthily. He perfectly realized that he'd be the only one not to like the next words he would hear.

"I send all three of you to lead an attack on the dragons. Cobro, you're in charge, Oscuro, Clavius, your two shall advise him, if you see that necessary for victory and minimizing our casualties. I want all these dragons dead." Verdad ordered.

"Father, can I keep Vixen alive? We not really need her dead, do we?" Clavius pleased. He couldn't wait to have his object of tortures back.

"I refuse, if we have to kill them, then let's kill them all. Keeping her alive could bring us only more troubles." Oscuro refused immediately with firmness. His brothers watched him with surprise and his father gave him with rather curious sight.

"You've been very protective towards Sonrisa, don't you think? Why is that so?" Señor de la Tribu asked for, or rather demanded an explanation. "Oscuro, what bothers you?"

"If we have to kill those dragons, then we should just kill them, not torture. But what bothers me, is that we don't fight these dragons in fair, honorable way, but send our army against them. Why do we have to fight this way?" Whole prince's bitterness, gathering for last several years, was now releasing. "Why do we have to use intrigues, betrayals, spies, assassins, traps, ambushes? Can't we just duel someone, if we hide a grudge against him? When I was a hatchling, you all kept telling me that wyverns always fight with honor. And what happened to it, father, where did it fade? Sometimes, I think that in the moment when you killed your brother taking over throne, when you ordered soldiers to kill your brother's family... I think that in that very moment you killed the legacy of Celeste Tribu." For all the time when speaking, Oscuro was watching directly into his father's eyes. He could feel his brothers' fear; neither of them would dare to speak like that, even if they really meant it. Oscuro felt some very tempting will to at least grasp hilt of his sword, but he fought it somehow. Verdad was watching his son madly. Only prince could manage to say something that insolent to king and not be worried about his life. But, If Verdad ever considered him as a heir to the throne, at that moment, Oscuro lost any chance.

"Leave, Oscuro." The king ordered hatefully.

"Whatever you wish, father." Oscuro said with some doze of sarcasm bowed and left. Señor de la Tribu followed him with sight until the gates closed. Two princes didn't turn around, but looked straight before themselves. Verdad turned at them.

"Cobro, he goes with you anyway." He ordered with a little calmer voice. But only a little.

"Yes, father." The heir to the throne agreed.

"You need to learn him that honor isn't the greatest value in our life. It only stops from choosing the best solutions." Verdad didn't believe in honor. If he did, he would never become Señor de la Tribu. "Your three leaves in an hour." He decided. "Now, you're dismissed." Two princes bowed deeply and left Throne Hall. King sat hardly at the throne and started thinking deeply. Several minutes later princess Leal entered it, approached to the king and bowed deeply before him.

"Leal? What brings you here?"

"I hope that king has already heard bad news from Warfang? The Forbidden Alchemy still belongs to dragons and they know who was behind those attacks now." Leal said sadly.

"You've failed me, Leal. I believed that you'd be able to provide me that tome. You know how important it is for us for Sable not to have it, don't you?"

"King, I didn't fail. Now dragons will hide it once again, this time even farther away. Let us not forget that wyverns still possess some of recipes from that books, even if barely several. Secrets of Forbidden Alchemy shall remain hidden from dragons too and that's exactly what you wanted to achieve, didn't you? I know that we can't use its knowledge, but they won't try to do so either, they won't risk bringing that tome to Warfang. This is our victory, not theirs. Moreover, failing to kill all our targets in Warfang doesn't really change anything; it was just the optional mission, not main one which we have achieved. Besides, the fact that dragons know that they can't treat us as allies doesn't change anything; Sable will die anyway as even if they wanted, they wouldn't be able to mobilize whole army fast enough to save him or Vixen. Isn't this situation exactly you wanted?" Leal argued. King smiled slightly. "Dragons without Forbidden Alchemy and Sable and Vixen dead."

"Truly, you're right." He admitted. "So even if those operations failed, just the incident in Warfang is already our victory." King finally started understanding what she meant. "Sometimes your genius terrifies me, young princess. One day, you will make an excellent queen." Verdad assured. Leal just bowed deeply.

"Thank you. Do you still have any doubts about my plans?"

"I fully trust you, Leal." Verdad assured. "You can leave." Princess bowed deeply and left the Throne Hall smiling. Despite a little failure in Warfang almost everything was going according to her plan. King believed that he was the ruling one, but Leal had been the one pulling the strings for years now.

In the evening, three princes stopped in some small cave. They set a fire and roasted some hunted deer. No one of them had anything against sleeping on cold stone. The nobility of Celeste Tribu, just like dragon guardians, were used to uncomfortable conditions. They weren't the ones to stay at the back of the army and give orders, but stand at its front and fight, raising morale of army. Cobro sighed deeply, leaning against some stone wall. Clavius was already sleeping. Oscuro was sitting at the entrance to the cave, stargazing.

"This speech about honor, did you really mean it?" He asked. Oscuro turned around and watched Cobro carefully. Next to him, there was laying scabbard with collection of five swords: two Sable's katanas, the other one which he stole from Sable when he was banished, gently curved red blade of some noble, a traitor, and his one, green blade with beautiful ornaments.

"I really meant it. I hope that once you become king, you will have another point of view on honor." Oscuro confirmed his earlier words.

"I'm afraid you may be disappointed. Well, knife in back isn't solution to every problem, but if it's the only one..." The heir to the throne explained. "But if you ask nicely, I may change my mind." Cobro grinned.

"Yeah..." Oscuro sighed deeply. "In days like those, I wonder why I won't just kill father and take over throne." He confessed.

"What's stopping you?" Cobro watched his brother carefully.

"Honor, I guess." The younger of wyverns explained. Heir to the throne laughed silently.

"You see, honor is so troublesome." He noticed.

"You want to persuade me to abandon it? Don't you think it could be a little inconvenient to you, if I took the throne over?" Oscuro asked with amusement.

"Maybe a little. I'm glad that I will be king, but on the other side, you'd make much better one." Cobro explained. "Well, goodnight, Oscuro. You'd better go sleeping too." He laid on the ground, feeling somnolence overwhelming him.

"Goodnight, brother." The prince whispered. He watched his brother for several seconds more, jerked his head and resumed stargazing. He felt terribly with consciousness that he was sent to kill those dragons. But how could he help it? Then, he heard some noise in the bushes.

"Who's there?" He asked with tired voice.

"It's me, Principe." A female, known to him voice replied. Before him, there appeared wyverness who he easily recognized.

"There you are, Oroescama." Oscuro smiled. He really liked that messenger. "Come on, sit down." He encouraged her. The royal messenger, a little surprised by such outgoing offer, hesitated a little, but sat next to him. She wouldn't dare not to listen to Principe.

"Whatever you wish, Principe." She said submissively. Oscuro only laughed aloud.

"Oh, you'll never change, Oroescama. I keep telling you, call by name." He pleased.

"But, Principe..." She tried to refuse. The wyvern sighed deeply.

"Fine, I order you to call me by name when we meet unofficially." The prince ordered.

"I understand... Oscuro." The messenger agreed. Oscuro smiled.

"I really like you, Oroescama. You're my third most liked wyverness in whole world."

"The first and second being your mate and daughter?" Oroescama said, somehow managing not to add his title.

"Exactly. I was so happy to hear that you're safe and sound. Your brother must have been really scared about you." Oscuro informed her. "So, you've been captive of our dragon fugitives. What do you think about them?" He asked curiously.

"They're too merciful. I'd bring them much less troubles, if they just killed me. They didn't do it not because... I guess that they would find it dishonorable to kill a captive." She explained.

"So, they're all honorable?" Oscuro asked.

"Not all of them. There's some feral dragoness, Farady. Barbarian dragoness, you could say. She had nothing against killing me at all." The royal messenger explained.

"Farady... there was also her brother Zheek, am I right?" The prince guessed.

"Yes, you are. How do you know it, Oscuro?" She asked, again succeeding in calling prince by name, though it wasn't easy.

"Those two are Viento de la Muerto. They want my death." Oscuro explained.

"Why would they?" The wyverness asked with disbelief.

"There's something very personal between us. I'm no surprised that they'd want to kill me. They do have a reason." The prince explained, not revealing any details. "You're heading to Celeste Tribu, aren't you?" He guessed.

"Yes, I do." Oroescama confirmed. "I need to report myself to the headquarters the fastest I can." She sighed deeply. "They won't be really happy for that I was caught."

"Will you have any problems about it?" The prince watched her with worries.

"That's possible." Oroescama confirmed.

"If you need my help or intervention, just call me." Oscuro offered.

"Thank you. That's really kind of you, but I'd rather not to use your help. It wouldn't look good, if prince interfered into royal messengers' business." She explained. "If everything goes well, I'll be scolded a little, possibly sent for some additional tests, which I will pass without any problem." She smiled slightly, thinking of these easy, as for her, exams . "And without doubts, I will remain the royal messenger." She finished optimistically. Then, she stood up. "Well, I think it's time for me." In that moment, the royal messenger realized that she was turned with her back to Principe. Embarrassed, she quickly turned around back to him and bowed deeply.

"I apologize, Princi... Oscuro." She apologized, confused. The prince only laughed aloud.

"Oh, Oroescama... You're such hilarious person sometimes, you know?" Oscuro watched her with amusement.

"I do." She confirmed quickly. "My apologize, but I'm afraid that I have to go already." She said officially.

"Already? Stay for the night in here. I don't want anything happen to you." Oscuro suggested smiling to the messenger slightly.

"Thank you for this offer, but I have to go." Oroescama bowed slightly, smiling with sympathy. She felt respect towards whole royal family. But the only its member who she really liked, was Oscuro.

"It's a beautiful night for flight." Oscuro didn't argue anymore. The wyverness nodded slightly.

"Yes, it is, my prince." She confirmed, watching the stars. "The rain already stopped, all that remains is beautiful sky."

"Go straight home, Oroescama. And even before you go to headquarters, hug your little daughter." Oscuro suggested. "That is an order." He added, grinning. The wyverness nodded quickly.

"With pleasure. Good luck, Oscuro. Principe Oscuro… I mean… Good luck." She bided him, quite confused. After these words, the wyverness took flight, once and for good leaving behind three princes, half of wyvern army and a group of those poor dragons stuck in the very middle of that mess.


	45. Chapter 44

Chapter 44. "Surrounded"

Oscuro was leaning against some old tree, glaring at some branches of tree before him. He watched carefully the green leaves, shined my afternoon sun, all of them covered in small drips of the rain. It had been raining a lot lately, when you took a walk across the long grass, it felt like stepping into some swamp. The prince really liked forests, but not when it all was so wet. The water was somehow… creepy to him. He loved earth and air, but water was different. Both ground and sky were his elements; he lived underground, but he could fly in excellent way. But seas, lakes… He was scared of those. He didn't understand them. Those weren't solid, but neither gas. He couldn't step on it, but neither breathe it. It could keep him on its surface not like ground did, but as if it was some strange magic, though it lacked any essence of energy. You couldn't catch it like wind, but trying to breathe it would end up with death. What an absurd. Water was so... undeclared at which side it was. Liquids were neither solid nor gas. And, which could sound pretty absurd, it was the reason why he didn't like it. Oscuro smiled and shook his head with disbelief. He should spend less time philosophizing such a subjects or he'd be scared to even drink water. The prince jerked his head and watched behind him. There was great crowd of wyverns. Before them, there was standing Clavius, shouting something with enthusiasm. Oscuro spread wings, jumped, beaten his arms quickly and in several seconds more, he was already sitting at some thick branch, watching his brother. Cobro had one advantage, compared to Oscuro. He was very charismatic leader. Oscuro would always have good plan, his ability was to coldly calculate everything to bring the risk and death of his soldiers to the very minimum. But Cobro was the one who could raise morale of whole army in just several sentences. He could speak in such a particular way that it would pour in heart and mind of ordinary soldier that his fight was important for whole tribe. After listening to Cobro, he would have absolutely clear vision who and why was evil and that in paws of every soldier, there laid lives of his friends and family. But still, such a soldier felt no pressure, only excitement and will to fight.

"Those dragons attacked us! They betrayed us and stabbed us in back when we all needed them and decided to trust them!" Cobro was shouting. Next to him, there was sitting Clavius, listening to his brother with curiosity. "They've been killing our friends, even dared kidnapping a royal messenger, just an average wyvern working for the goodness of all of us and now, they are escaping like cowards, attacking our companions and killing them with no remorse!" Oscuro sighed deeply and jumped down the tree to land on the ground smoothly. Cobro had real talent to control crowd bending the truth to his will in gentle, unnoticeable for a soldier way. But the younger brother of the speaker couldn't stand that monologue. It felt somehow awkward to him when he knew that the only ones that should be blamed for their situation was his father. Oscuro stepped away and leaned against the tree, watching the mass of soldiers watching the heir to the throne, absorbing his every word. He waited for the end of Cobro's speech, for that they could finally follow the dragons. The prince wanted to finish this all quickly. It took Cobro long to finish his monologue. But once he did, he quickly told them the orders and all the wyverns took flight. Oscuro quickly appeared between his brothers.

"Beautiful speech, Cobro." He admitted. "As for excuse why will we kill the medics thanks to whom we've managed to stop the pandemic, of course." He added gloomily.

"You can always put things in such a way that..." Clavius sighed deeply. "I have no idea why do you complain. I can't wait to meet those dragons!" He giggled quietly. Oscuro just snorted scornfully.

"Whatever." He said, not wanting to argue with his younger brother. He knew that he wouldn't persuade him anyway and he didn't want to ruin his already terrible mood even more.

"You play so resentful for this all, but still, you came up with the strategy of our attack." Cobro noticed skeptically.

"I did." Oscuro confirmed reluctantly. "But you would attack them anyway, so I preferred to at least minimize the death on the our side, especially when we strike not with whole our strength." He explained himself. "You know, it was the lesser of two evils."

"So it was good choice." Cobro stated.

"No, it was only less evil." Oscuro disagreed. He sighed deeply. Just several hours more and this all would be done. He could already feel the stench of blood, not even in his nostrils, but deep in his mind.

Eight of dragons were flying madly forward. Sable jerked his head to watch Dante sleeping on his back. Next to him, there was flying Viola, carrying Tris and Ivory with Farady, next to who was Vixen. Zheek was at the head, leading the way. He knew those lands very well, so they could play with wyverns a little. Well, not anymore. In last twelve hours, their attacks became so intensive that they couldn't release themselves from those wyverns, always around them. And it gave them certainty that the main forces were already right behind them. All of them were already preparing for the enemy to strike. Ivory spent the most of time flying with closed eyes, focusing to gather as much of magical aura as she could. She perfectly knew that she'd need it like never before. Sable prepared for the fight as well. He decided not to use his father's sword against so many enemies. He still didn't know it well enough, he decided to trust his talons and teeth. Still, he did something strange about his sword. Just a day earlier, in flight, he wrapped whole his sword up in the bandages. He didn't explain why, though everyone knew he had some special purpose in that.

"Zheek?" Sable called the fire breather.

"Yeah?" Young free dragon jerked his head, still watching carefully the movements of wyverns at his left.

"They will strike any second." Sable stated with calm voice. The fire dragon only nodded, already prepared for such news.

"Then I'll be ready." Zheek shook his shoulders rapidly, waking up the poet.

"Are we there yet?" Dante asked with sleepy voice.

"Nope, but you'd better get ready. They will attack soon." The fire breather warned. Meanwhile, two dragoness were awaken. Farady looked around carefully, the consciousness of danger gave her enough of adrenaline to get rid of any somnolence. When Sable and Viola were sleeping, they were flying through the valley where dragons would have an advantage, because they could find themselves some narrow gap between rocks to hide and there, they could fight these wyverns for several days. Soldiers wouldn't be able to attack the dragons in more than three or four at once and they would never make such a mistake. But now... Those were not really dense forests, absolutely no barrier to cover their backs. Yeah, that would be the perfect opportunity for wyverns to...

And then, Farady spotted some movement below her, at the right. The wyvern appeared from between trees and attacked. The free dragoness slipped down Ivory's back, caught him and fell with him on the ground, slitting his throat. The other wyverns were just a meter from them, she managed only to shoot one of them down with a lightning and made a block. But her companions were already on her side. Before them, there appeared Ivory and Viola, releasing two volleys of ice. The white dragoness would use her element so rarely that she could hardly believe that she was doing it now with such an easiness. Sable landed next to Viola and at his left appeared Dante. The ones to close the circle were Vixen, Tris and Keezheekoni. They all made defensive poses and some of them hissed hatefully, watching the enemy surrounding them.

"Remember, no offence, only defense. Remain in the circle no matter what happens." Sable ordered. All the dragons nodded. And then, the wyverns attacked. They did it all at once. Oscuro's strategy was good, the soldiers were supposed to provoke the dragon at the end and take him down quickly and then, not let them make any defense. Those were only dragons to be blamed for that they weren't really willing to follow his plan. And so, the wyverns attacked. From the first row, only half got close enough to fight the dragons face to face under the pressure of the elements. But they not really stood a chance either. The morale, so neatly raised by Cobro, now seemed to be just a sand castle and it felt like the tide was coming. Still, wyverns had some disadvantages, but cowardice definitely wasn't one of them. The soldiers kept attacking and there were hundreds of them.

"Dante, Viola!" Sable ordered. Two dragons nodded and jumped into the small circle, their companions quickly closed the gaps. Both dragons took deep breaths. And then, Viola released freezing breath and from the ground, there started appearing earth and ice wall. In several seconds, it was already high for several meters and wide for three. It was placed in such a way that dragons had what they needed; the cover for their backs. Now, they could focus on much smaller area. There were hundreds wyverns, but they couldn't attack all at once. The dragons had their plan just like wyverns did. It wasn't so bad, Sable would even risk assuming that it was quite good. In fact, it was. Still, those were only wyverns to be blamed for that they weren't willing to follow dragons' plan. Sable heard some disturbing hiss. He knew it. After all, he had known Brute and his bombs for several years.

"Ivory!" He shouted.

"Noticed!" The white dragoness focused quickly and created magical barrier around small explosive. She made it in time. When the bomb exploded, it was already surrounded by azure aura. But she completely forgot about one thing; if she closed the bomb absolutely tight, the sudden raise of pressure would break through it and be released in one direction. And so, it was. Farady squeaked, surprised, as she and her brother were rapidly thrown in the air by sudden, powerful blow of the air. They flew uncontrollably for several meters, lucky enough to fall at the gap behind the wall of earth and ice where were no wyverns. But soldiers quickly started going to them. The siblings, realizing that their situation wasn't good at all and they could not really return to the circle of dragons through those wyverns who they had flown above just a second earlier, knew that the only way out of there was escaping. And then, about twenty meters before them, they noticed him. It was Oscuro, leaning against the tree, grinning insolently. Then, he disappeared in forest. Two dragons followed him, behind them, there flew some wyverns.

"Zheek!" Vixen shouted.

"We'll return, I promise!" The fire breather, despite shouting, could be barely heard through the crowd of wyverns. Then, both siblings disappeared in the darkness. Vixen just snorted angrily. Then, she and Tris noticed the wyvern holding the bag of explosive, the experimental weapon of wyverns borrowed from Douten's research. The fire dragoness sent in the air stream of fire. Vixen understood the plan and blown her wings, sending the wave of fire exactly at the bomber. There could be heard scream and an explosion. And then, even more screams of agony of the wounded soldiers. In the air, there could be felt terrible stench of burnt flesh and blood, Tris barely managed not to throw up. But their attack had exactly the effect, as two females expected. If there were any bombers more, they decided to pull back. No one liked an idea of becoming the living bomb. And even if someone did, the soldiers surrounding him wouldn't let him try doing anything. Vixen smiled triumphantly and winked at Tris, but the fire dragoness didn't even notice that, while releasing at wyverns the stream of fire. The black dragoness wondered, if should she look how was her brother doing, but she gave up on it, since it was only pointless and so risky curiosity.

Oscuro looked behind himself, trying to find out where were those two dragons. In his situation, the curiosity was necessary not to be ambushed by these dragons. His plan was to lure those dragons away from their companions so he could fight them all alone. He was holding a grudge against Viento de la Muerto, he wanted to kill them by himself. And that was why the presence of some of his soldiers behind him was annoying him.

"All my soldiers, return to the rest of the army!" He ordered.

"But, Principe..." Some voice argued.

"That is an order!" The prince shouted angrily. He heard the noise of his soldiers changing direction. He was watching before himself when he heard voice with characteristic for a wyvern, gently hissing accent.

"Principe, on the left!" Hearing that, Oscuro turned at the left. He grasped with right paw the hilt of sword, looking carefully at his left. He didn't realize that this mistake could have deadly consequences until he had drawn sword. Then, he caught sight of gold-silver flash enclosing to him from right side out of corner of his eye. What saved Oscuro from Farady's teeth and talons enclosing to her throat was Oscuro's blade which, luckily to him, he was holding in such a way that with gentle move of paw he gave the dragoness choice to fly away or get decapitated. Farady not really liked the second option, so she pulled back, charging the lightning. Oscuro dove right beneath the ray of disturbingly sparkling energy, then he spun away from Zheek's fire. The wyvern prince landed at some small field, where dense trees wouldn't block his sword. Before him, there appeared two siblings. They watched Oscuro carefully, as he whirled his sword slowly. It was long, quite wide and silver blade, lacking any ornaments, perfectly straight. It's edge was double, neither of those was straight, at each of them, there were rectangular irregularities, because of which sword looked like some key to the great gate. Its edges were covered gently with green poison.

"There you are, murderer." The lightning dragoness hissed hatefully.

"So you are Viento de la Muerto, dishonorable dragons." Oscuro watched them coldly.

"Dishonorable?! Dishonorable?! What can you know about honor?! You've murdered our parents!" Zheek shouted madly. Both dragons made fighting stances, watching him hatefully. The siblings' armors were glowing with their elements giving them even more ominous look, but wyvern not really cared about that.

"I wasn't given a choice." The prince explained.

"My tail, you weren't! You didn't have to kill them! You had not even a reason to do so!" Farady couldn't believe what she had heard.

"And if you're so honorable, why do you use poison?" Zheek asked silently. His blood was boiling, only some mysterious, invisible strength called reason was stopping him from rushing at that wyvern. And, as he noticed, this strength was weakening slowly.

"I don't use this poison to finish the enemy. If I decide to scratch you, it means that I could have easily killed you. I only want you to live for several minutes longer, for that you could say goodbye to this world." Oscuro made offensive stance. "Now, you have choice: Run, leave behind all these dragons and save yourselves or die here trying to kill me. It may sound like bragging, but I simply warn you: you cannot win this fight." The wyvern watched young dragons carefully. Zheek snorted scornfully.

"I'm done running. Are you, sis?" He watched his sister smiling.

"I am." She agreed. But when she did it, she was already in the halfway to the wyvern. As Oscuro realized that the lightning dragons could be pretty fast. In exactly this same moment, Zheek breathed fire to him. And then, right before the wyvern, there appeared wall of earth, which protected him. Farady was already before the wyvern with her jaws wide opened and electricity dancing between her teeth. She planned to finish this fight quickly. Oscuro caught her jaws forcing those to close. And then, the lightning dragoness felt cold touch, as side of sword touched her belly, chest, slipped by neck and nuzzled her cheek coldly. Pointing at all these potentially deadly wounds took him just a second. Farady's eyes grew wide, as she realized what had happened. How could any fencer be this fast? In that moment Oscuro dropped her and hit her jaws powerfully. The dragoness lurched and fell on a tree. Meanwhile, Oscuro made a thin pillar of earth, broke it and threw in such a way that it got stuck in tree right before her throat. Farady was breathing quickly. "Five beats of heart. No more than five. And he could kill me in at least five ways, if only he wanted. Dear ancestors, Zheek didn't even manage to help me. It all happened far too fast..."

"This is your very last chance." Oscuro warned. Farady realized that she shouldn't stand still like that and jumped back to her brother, spitting blood. She had beaten her tongue painfully when taking that blow.

"Are you alright?" Zheek asked.

"Alive." His sister replied bitterly and her tongue burnt, as she spoke.

"Where have you learnt using earth?!" The fire breather asked Oscuro madly.

"In Soleado Valle, young dragon. The dragons aren't the only ones that can use the elements. Sometimes, those from other races are gifted as well, just like me. So, do you still intend to fight me in this romantic, but still, hopeless fight?" The wyvern watched them doubtfully. Two siblings looked at each other. Farady spitted blood at his foot.

"Do you really think you're this good?" The lightning dragoness asked.

"Try us, then." Zheek grinned. Both dragons jumped in the air. Oscuro sighed deeply shook his head in disbelief.

"If you insist." He whispered. When they met for the last time, he killed their parents. And now, it was time to finish what he had started years earlier. He knew that those dragons weren't weak. But still, they lacked an experience and skill. They were too young. One day, if they trained at least decade more, then they'd stand some chance. But now? It was almost pity to kill dragons with such a potential.

Sable was fighting madly, using his paws just like swords, covering them in weak lightning. He missed his katanas, which increased power of his element, but still its lack didn't change fact that he was amazing fighter. The wyvern who decided to attack him would be lucky, if he survived fifteen seconds and not to have slit throat. Someone good enough to survive any longer, sometimes even scratch Sable would come only on and off. To him, it not really made a difference, if he fought with or without his blades as long as he didn't have to face any sword master. The lightning dragon noticed that in battle, the time had a tendency to slow down dramatically. Every minute seemed like an hour and even before there passed an hour, Sable felt as if he had been fighting for whole day. He knew that his companions were fine, Ivory kept shielding Dante and Tris, if only they committed any mistake that could endanger their lives. And in the moment when Sable believed everything was fine, Vixen felt some paw catching her arm. It was Clavius. She squeaked with surprise and Tris tried to attack the one who grasped her friend. But then, the wyvern slashed at the fire breath. Ivory released small amount of magic at his arm, raising it so it didn't reach Tris. Clavius, realizing that he shouldn't stand there for too long, jumped back throwing Vixen behind himself. But the black dragoness didn't fall in the middle of the wyvern army, she loved her life far too much, so she managed to remain in the air. She wanted to join her friends when before her, there appeared Clavius. Seeing her torturer, she simply panicked and flew away, disappearing in the dense forest.

"Do you fear me?!" Principe cackled, as he followed her. Sable hissed angrily seeing that situation. He perfectly knew how badly his sister feared Clavius, she couldn't win. Not alone.

"Go for her." Viola suggested. The lightning dragon would watch his mate with disbelief, if only he could afford to do that in that moment.

"But there will remain only four of you..." Sable argued.

"We will be fine and Vixen needs your help." The azure dragoness explained. "Just be back quickly." She pleased.

"I will. Sable promised. He nuzzled his beloved's cheek and jumped in the air. No wyvern really wanted to stop him. No one of them wanted to face his lightning.

"Where is he going?" Tris asked with disbelief.

"He'll help Vixen and return quickly." The azure dragoness explained. The fire breather sighed deeply. So there remained only four of them, they pulled back even further, Dante made a bigger wall. It wasn't much. But it was enough. For a moment. Not a long one.


	46. Chapter 45

Chapter 45. "Face the past"

Sable was sitting at some thick, almost horizontal branch, looking around carefully. His enemy was somewhere there. He focused, trying to sense the enemy's heart beat. He never was good about that trick with electricity, but it was worth trying. Sable took deep, slow breath, but after several seconds, he cursed in his mind. There was no use. Then, he heard some move in bushes. Pushed by instinct, he jumped down the branch, just in time to avoid the ice spike. He beat the wings stopping in the air two meters before the ground. Below him, there flew the volley of sharp, small ice bullets. Sable charged the lightning in both paws and shot intensive ray of electricity in the place where he expected the wyvern to be. Then, Cobro jumped out of the bushes. The two of them looked each other carefully. Sable had only one sword, he didn't even draw it. And Cobro had five of those, in right paw he held Sable's white sword from years earlier and the red, gently curved one.

"And so, we meet again." Cobro greeted him.

"Get lost. I don't have time for you." Sable ordered angrily.

"Come on, Cuarto, why not to have a duel? We haven't finished the last one." The wyvern noticed, insolently swinging Sable's blade.

"I'm not Cuarto. I am not wyvern. And our duel is done by now." The lightning dragon would love to face Cobro at the another opportunity, but not in that moment. "Now, get lost right away or I'll kill you." Sable warned. Cobro made defensive pose.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." Cobro encouraged Sable to attack with gentle move of sword. Sable ran to him, grasped the hilt of his sword still remaining on his back. Then, he slashed with it, catching the ending of the bandage wrapped all around it. In that moment, red great-sword slashed through the fabric, missing Cobro's face just for centimeters, but throwing at him hundreds white ribbons, which surrounded him, completely covering wyvern's vision for several seconds. Cobro heard the characteristic noise of swung sword and managed to block Sable's attack in the very last moment. He had admit that Sable's idea was pretty good, he was lucky that he managed to block it. Then, he jumped back shooting from jaws an ice spike. Sable jerked his head avoiding it easily.

"This ice... Where have you learnt it?" Sable asked with disbelief.

"Ask your Primero, Cuarto!" Cobro suggested. The dragon hissed angrily.

"I'm not joking. Who taught you that?" He repeated.

"Neither am I." Cobro hid Sable's white sword and drawn his original one- green with gold ornaments.

"You won't tell me, will you?" Sable sighed deeply. "Then I'll just beat the truth out of you."

"After so many years, we meet again, Cuarto. It can't be accident, don't you think?" Cobro whirled his blades. "Let's see who will win this duel of the fates, shall we?" Sable just snorted.

"Fate? There's no such a thing." He felt nostalgia, as he heard himself speaking this sentence. Then, two fighters jumped to each other.

"Do you fear darkness, Storm?" Clavius shouted and cackled, watching the black wings before him beating a little faster. The wyvern and dragon were flying forward for fifteen minutes already. Clavius was giving his best to get closer to Vixen, but little dragoness had great motivation to escape him, so he couldn't really catch up with her. The prince could fear dragoness's fear. Once they would finally face each other, she would lose. Then, he noticed some light before him. It was the end of forest. Clavius saw little dragoness leaving it and turning left. The prince got beyond the trees and landed. He was in some really small valley, placed between two hills all over covered in dense forest. It was long for about one hundred meters and wide for no more than thirty. There was some shallow stream flowing across it, beautifully reflecting the rays of already setting sun. Clavius looked around carefully. He landed for only one reason. Vixen stopped escaping. She was somewhere there, hiding. The wyvern hissed with annoyance.

"Oh, come on, Storm, stop hiding. You know that I can smell you, right?" He said loudly and then, powerful blow of warm air hit his face, almost knocking him out. A second later, he heard a melody.

" For all the nature's sorcery,

The most bewitching entity." Vixen's loud, confident singing reached him. Clavius snorted. There was no fear in her voice at all. The wyvern drawn his Lanzador quickly in the paw with metal gauntlet, looking around meanwhile, trying to localize her.

"Nothing ever could contain

The rising of the Storm!" The black dragoness continued the song, this time from his left. Clavius threw Lanzador aiming for the source of noise.

"She seems to come from everywhere!" Vixen sung with some sinister joy right behind him. Clavius quickly pulled the chain, bringing Lanzador back to his paw. He threw the lance there, after a second heard a noise of pierced wood.

"Welcome to the dragon's lair!" The black dragoness greeted Clavius. Now, she was at his right. The wyvern panicked. He aimed there with second paw and released the lightning, hoping that he'd hit the target. In that moment, he felt some cold touch against his back.

"Fingers running through your scales..." Vixen sung silently, but wyvern heard every word clearly. She was right behind him, after all. Two of her talons ran through his scales leaving bloody red lines. The black dragoness glared deeply into her torturer's eyes, smiling slightly, as she realized something. She didn't fear him. No more.

"She asks you out to play." The black dragoness whispered and opened her jaws widely releasing powerful blow of wind. It threw the wyvern back for several meters, he fell painfully at the rocks of the stream. He stood up and pulled the chain, bringing Lanzador back to him. Then, he watched the black dragoness with determination written all over her face.

"How is it that you're alive?" He asked with disbelief. She had not even a scar after his tortures. Exchange of lifes could make miracles.

"It's long story and you're not even worth it, Clavius." Vixen decided not to answer. She had enough of being submissive to him. The wyvern watched her curiously. She became so confident that she appeared to be even more fascinating to him.

"You've changed. But we'll have whole years to improve it, don't you think, kid?"

"By now, all that remained of your life are minutes." The black dragoness refused, grinning devilishly. "Don't you think, Clavius?" The wyvern just snorted hatefully.

"I'd love to see that." He said sarcastically.

"Then watch carefully. You may not even notice when it had already happened." The dragoness made a fighting pose and jumped in the air. She didn't have to wait long for Clavius to join her there.

Both siblings quickly jumped back, just in time to avoid the pillars of earth, which rapidly appeared before Oscuro. Farady watched carefully her brother and his bleeding tail. The drips of blood were slowly falling on the ground, one by one.

"Are you alright?" The lightning dragoness asked, concerned.

"It's just scratch." The fire breather belittled his wound and shot the powerful fireball to the enemy. Oscuro jumped away, avoiding the blow. Farady was already behind him, slashing with her gauntlet. She would leave at prince's back nasty wound, if only he didn't block her blow with his sword. In that moment, Zheek appeared before him, trying to slash his hinder legs and Farady charged the lightning. Oscuro hit fire breather's jaws and released his sword swinging it in such a way that it missed dragoness's throat for only centimeters. If only he wanted, he could kill her in that very moment.

"Her ninth." Oscuro said to himself. He turned around, creating before her the earth pillar, which forced her to step away. He slashed, aiming at Zheek. If he moved the sword with the full speed, he would easily decapitate the surprised dragon, but he slowed his blade down a little, giving the fire breather just enough time to bow beneath it. "His seventh." Zheek attacked with his gauntlet, but wyvern blocked it with hilt of his sword. Some of little spikes of dragon's armor managed to pierce through wyvern's scales. The dragon smiled triumphantly and jumped back, but a little too slow. The prince hit his face with opened paw leaving at his cheek three scratches. "And his eighth." He whispered, as the fire breather rolled on the ground and stood up quickly. Then, the wyvern stepped back, avoiding the lightning which flew before him and swung his sword horizontally, forcing Farady, who tried to attack him, to jump back to her brother. This time, he swung relatively slowly as well. But this time, he didn't do it willingly. He felt that the poison from dragon's gauntlet already worked on him, which surprised him, since he didn't expect it to be this fast. Zheek smiled, as if he had read through wyvern's thoughts.

"We've got you." The fire breather said triumphantly. Farady, grinned realizing what he meant. Then, Oscuro took from belt of his scabbard some little bottle and drank its contain.

"Oh, I wouldn't think so." Oscuro disagreed, putting the bottle back on the belt. He felt how two elixirs where fighting each other. The medicine didn't neutralize poison's effects completely, but it prevented it from depriving him of any more strength. "I have an antidote." He explained. Two siblings watched him with disbelief.

"Thank Tris for that." The wyvern explained. Farady hissed hatefully. She didn't expect such a turn of events, she believed that all that they needed to win was scratching him with gauntlet. And now... Their situation was even worse than she expected.

"So, what now?" Oscuro watched the young dragons curiously.

"If we can't poison you, then we will simply beat you to the death with our talons and tailblades." Zheek declared. The prince made a defensive stance.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked. Two dragons ran to him. Oscuro hid sword quickly, jumped in the air and shot several earth bullets. Two siblings bounced from the ground and joined him in the aerial fight, at least twenty meters above the ground. The wyvern really wanted to know how good they were in the air. They had some advantage in there since firstly, his element was earth and secondly, he preferred not to use sword then. He had learnt how to fight with it in the air, but still this was very risky and hard art, only Clavius learnt it very well and Oscuro didn't want to risk. Just paws would be enough against those two and without sword, he was sure that he wouldn't commit a mistake. Both dragons attacked with elements and Oscuro beaten his wings strongly flying above those. Zheek flew to him and slashed vertically from beneath. Oscuro blocked his paw with his own making such a noise, as if they exchanged high five. In that moment he noticed that Farady was already behind him. He slashed with tailblade when Zheek was just about to release a stream of fire exactly in his face. Wyvern hit fire breather's jaws with his head, his paw slipped by his left arm and grasped it to throw young dragon at his sister, without slashing his throat, as he could do. "His ninth." He counted. Farady rolled away in the air, appearing at wyvern's side and shooting to him powerful blast of electricity. Oscuro pressed his wings to his chest, losing any lift force and falling down three meters immediately, just beneath it. Then, he spread his wings rapidly and flew to her from below. He caught sight of Zheek out of narrow of his eye. The fire breather had just managed to catch the balance, quite far from them. Oscuro had time. He attacked the lightning dragoness from down with both paws. She blocked both blows with her talons and wyvern flew on her side quickly. She tried to hit his forehead with the big white spike at the end of the basic bone of her left wing. She didn't realize that it was terrible mistake and wyvern simply couldn't let her get away with it. He caught a bone of her wing, the one connecting with her back, with both paws and moved his talons rapidly, breaking it. "Her tenth." He whispered. The dragoness screamed painfully, as there fell some blood on the ground far beneath them and there could be seen broken bone, sticking out of the yellow wing. The wyvern dropped her and the dragoness started falling, despite desperate tries of remaining in the air. In about a halfway, Zheek managed to get to her and caught her. Two dragons landed slowly and the wyvern appeared on the ground about twenty meters farther.

"Farady?" Zheek asked with worries, watching pitifully his sister's broken wing. The dragoness with painful tears on her cheek, slipped down her brother's back and stood on the ground.

"I'm... I'm alright." She assured her brother with shaking voice. She wanted to fold her left wing, but she only groaned painfully, as she moved the broken bone. She left her wing hanging loosely on her side. "Let's finish this." She suggested. Oscuro drawn his sword and whirled it, about to ran to those young dragons.

"Shall we?" He smiled slightly and rushed forward. He had been playing with them far too long and gave them too many opportunities to wound them without using all the openings, even though they were full of them. From this point, Oscuro decided to fight the siblings deadly seriously. He only wondered, if would they survive for more than three minutes.

Vixen avoided the slash of Lanzador. She had seen in fight for just ten minutes and she already hated it from the bottom of her heart. It wasn't just that Clavius could use it in flight. Lanzador could be separated in two separate swords or back in one in just a second. And besides, it could absorb her wind, so Vixen could not really attack using it. Still, there were many other ways to get advantage by it and she was using all of them. She wasn't losing to Clavius. Well, she couldn't really say that she was winning, but she definitely couldn't say that she was losing either. And against Clavius... That was something. The black dragoness flew for about ten meters from Clavius and took breath. The wyvern threw at her one of halves of Lanzador, the one connected to his metal gauntlet with chain. Vixen flew a little higher and headed to her enemy when the prince swung the chain above himself and pushed it back to him in such a way that it would slash her hinder legs. The little dragoness gently changed direction and the purple blade rushed right next to her. Clavius caught it and Vixen released powerful blow of wind. The wyvern started absorbing it with his blades, which glowed gently. The black dragoness kept puffing strongly, forcing the wyvern to keep his blades in this same, crossed, position, until she appeared right before him. Then, she flew right next to his head, slipping between his swords and slashed his back with talons quickly. She tried to kill him stabbing his throat with the tailblade, but Clavius reflected bow with Lanzador. As the dragoness passed by him, leaving several new flesh wounds, the wyvern turned around and shot the lightning from the mouth. Vixen, flying five meters above the ground, beaten her wings turning the direction as suddenly, as if she had bounced from an invisible wall. Clavius aimed at her with Lanzador and Vixen heard powerful blow of the air. She dove rapidly right beneath it and landed on the ground. She preferred not to try to counter it with her own wind, since she knew that Clavius always used whole power of the element he had managed to catch in Lanzador and he hadn't been using it in such a way for far too long time. If she fell in that stream of air, it could be compared to flying into a whirlwind.

"Oh, Vixen, stop avoiding me. It will hurt anyway." The wyvern grinned ominously.

"Don't count on this." The black dragoness took in both her paws the daggers of her mother and watched those wavy, beautifully gold and azure blades for a second. She already had a plan involving those.

"Why not? It's your fate to lose to me again. You can't escape your guiverno dogma, young... dragoness? Or maybe wyverness?" Clavius landed and watched the dragoness with curiosity. He couldn't understand how she could have changed so much since their previous meeting.

"I am not wyvern anymore, Clavius." Vixen disagreed. "I am... completely different person. It's not even a matter of fates, I've never believed in those. I'm just done crying over my cruel life. I will never more agree to the status quo that threatens my family, my friends and me. From now, I will truly start dealing with the ghost of my past. I will not wait for people like you to choose my future. No, I'll define it for myself. And if any of you tries to stop or limit me, I'll fight for it with whole my power and will." The black dragoness watched the wyvern with her green eyes filled with determination. "And I will start it by dealing with you." She promised. Clavius only laughed aloud.

"Dealing with me? Poor, naïve child." He shook his head with disbelief and the black dragoness hissed angrily hearing the last word. "Vixen, I know everything about you. I know your every secret, you've told me the details of your every conversation, every fight, every training, skill, move and trick that you know. Do you have anything to surprise me with? How do you want to win?" The prince asked with disbelief. The black dragoness smiled. It was true, she had told him everything. But then, she still hadn't those two daggers. And those two little blades, the memorial of her mother, those were the key to her victory.

"There are ways." The black dragoness grinned, showing her teeth, two rows of little white daggers. "Trust me, Clavius, there are ways." She repeated herself. Then, the black dragoness raised the gold dagger. "So, let it begin, shall we?" She suggested. The wyvern wanted to throw Lanzador, but Vixen was faster. Her blade flew to the wyvern, shining beautifully in the light of the setting sun. Clavius reflected it not without problem and the dagger went stuck in the ground three meters from him. The wyvern watched above himself. Vixen was already in the air, aiming with the second dagger. She threw it quickly, but Clavius just stepped away, so it went stuck in the ground right next to him. He grinned, as in both his paws, there appeared electricity. He started shooting the lightning one by one with bewildering speed. The little dragoness barely managed to avoid all of them. After about fifteen seconds of mad flight, she landed, breathing quickly.

"You've easily got rid of your weapons. So, what now, Vixen?" Clavius asked and chuckled. "You know that you still can give up."

"Why should I?" The black dragoness replied confidently, with not even a hint of doubt. She knew that she couldn't lose to Clavius. She could not even consider what would happen, if she failed. She simply had to win.

Sable swung the great red blade vertically. Cobro reflected the blow, so dragon's sword slipped down his and stopped at the grass. Then, he stabbed with white blade. Sable raised his sword quickly, reflecting his blow just in time. He tried to slash at his head horizontally, but wyvern blocked it with blade right before his face. He grinned to Sable. For last ten minutes, neither of them could get any advantage or at least scratch enemy. The prince jumped next to Sable, trying to slash his belly. Sable bent his body and shielded himself with the tailblade. As Cobro was behind him, the dragon held sword in right paw and swung it powerfully, aiming at back of his neck. The wyvern threw in the air sword in his right paw and caught hilt of the red sword, still in the scabbard, taking it out of it for twenty centimeters and bending it at right a little so that Sable's sword didn't decapitate him, but was blocked by crimson blade. Cobro smiled. He turned around, with sword in scabbard blocking dragon's blade and stung with the second one, exactly at throat. Sable pushed it away with talons of paw in which, there already glowed lightning. It would hit exactly at prince's chest, if he didn't jump away just in time, bow beneath Sable's sword, drop red blade and catch green one, the one which he had dropped. Two males stopped in distance of no more than ten meters, watching each other carefully.

"Just get lost." Sable ordered. It wasn't that he didn't want to kill him. He simply had no time to waste for such trivial, even though satisfying, thing.

"Oh, why should I? The show must go on." Cobro noticed. Sable just snorted angrily.

"Out of my way, wyvern." He said firmly.

"Oh, wyvern?" The prince watched him with disbelief. "You speak this word with such a contempt, even though you're one of us." He noticed.

"I am dragon." Sable refused quickly.

"You are not." Cobro confirmed his own words even faster. "You believe that you're one of them, but you're outcast. They don't accept you. They only use your talents in their own favor."

"Quit this."

"Why are you siding with dragons? Don't you know that your parents' death is their fault?"

"Bullshit. You were the ones to kill them." Sable hissed hatefully. He was mad now.

"But still, those so precious to you dragons knew that it would happen and yet, they did nothing to change it only they believed such turn of events would be profitable for them." The wyvern explained. The former Vengantimo watched him carefully, the slowly started making circles around each other.

"What are you babbling about?" Sable was prepared for sudden attack, absolutely convinced that whole this talking meant to be just a decoy. Cobro cackled, as he took out from pocket at his scabbard's belt a sheet of paper, ripped off from some book. "Your friends left a book rewritten by the guardian Stella in Celeste Tribu. One its page is very interesting. Would you like to read it?" The wyvern dropped the sheet and it fell on the ground slowly. The males were making circles around each other, so soon, Sable stood right before it. They stopped.

"Take it." Cobro suggested.

"Why should I trust you?" Sable asked, expecting it to be only a decoy. In this moment, the wyvern hid his blades.

"How about it?" The wyvern asked. The dragon took a paper and looked at it. There were pages one hundred fifty one and two of some book. Indeed, it was Stella's writing, Sable recognized it right away. "Read the ending." The prince said. Then, Sable took the sheet of paper, crumpled it and dropped.

"As if I would believe you." Sable made an offensive pose. "Don't sheathe your swords, but draw them. If you want to fight, then fight, if you don't want, then get lost. But if you stand in my way, all that awaits you, is death. And speaking of moral dilemmas, such as whether have the dragons betrayed my parents or not, I'll leave those for when I kill you and take my friends home." The lightning dragon decided. Cobro sighed deeply, he grasped two swords: Sable's old one and the red blade. And so, their fight started once more.

Farady shrieked painfully, as she rolled across the ground. What hurt her was not the chest, slashed shallowly with that cursed wyvern's talons. The real source of the pain was her broken wing at which, she spent laying a fraction of second. But it was enough for the electrifying pain to hit her with power of thousands volts and knock her out when she intended to stand up. What a pain! She had never felt something like that.

"Farady!" Zheek appeared right next to his sister. Oscuro tried to attack him, but dragon forced him to push back with great stream of fire. "Are you alright?" He asked with worries.

"Yeah." She lied while standing up slowly. She had heard once that adrenaline would blur her pain. That was complete, out-and-out lie. She could feel every muscle burning as intensively, as never in her life. "We have to finish him quickly." The dragoness whispered. She knew that with every second, their chance of victory, or at least survival, were decreasing terribly fast.

"I know. Any plan?" Zheek asked. Oscuro didn't attack, neither tried to eavesdrop. He still believed that they would manage to surprise him.

"I'll be the decoy." Farady decided.

"No, you can't escape fast enough. He will kill you." The fire breather refused.

"Unless you're faster. I'll make an opening, you kill him before he kills me." The lightning dragoness said with ordering voice. Her brother didn't argue. It wasn't time for that, but still, he watched her with worries. He wasn't sure, if would he be fast enough. Farady was much faster, but with broken wing, she would never be fast enough. Both dragons took deep breaths, preparing for the coming encounter. Oscuro focused. All three perfectly realized that it was going to be the last attack of this fight. In next minute, somebody was going to die. Maybe only one person, maybe two. The wyvern promised himself to kill Zheek as the first one. If his sister died first, he could escape. And Farady had no chance to do so. The fire breather jumped in the air and Farady ran to that damned wyvern. She released the lightning in the place where she expected Oscuro to land, as he jumped away from the fire. But he shielded himself with the earth pillar. Zheek flew at left and Farady turned right and then, the siblings attacked from opposite sides. Farady attacked as the first one. She blocked wyvern's sword with the gauntlet and held his paw. She saw Zheek right behind her and smiled slightly. They won, she was sure about it. She and Oscuro kept forcing. The dragoness had just enough strength to withstand him. The fire breather was just about to fall at Oscuro's back and slit his throat. And then, right before Zheek, there appeared great earth wall. The young dragon slowed down and fell on it. The prince bought himself two or three seconds, just enough, as for him. Farady didn't even realize when and what happened next. Before she noticed, he had already released the sword, her left arm was twisted and the second one blocked, the wyvern was about to decapitate her. In that moment, Zheek appeared above them. The wyvern swung his sword at him. He scratched left side of dragon's chest, not killing him only in act of pity to such a desperate try. The fire breather jumped off the wall, miraculously avoiding being spiked by the earth pillars appearing from it. In this same moment, Oscuro dexterously swung his paw bringing Farady to him and giving her powerful blow of elbow, exactly at her cheek, breaking her jaw and with the second blow, throwing her away. Zheek jumped to the wyvern, trying to protect his sister. In that moment, he felt whole the strength leaving his body and fell on the ground right before the wyvern.

"Zheek!" Farady screamed fearfully, still laying on the ground. Her little brother... What happened?

"He's poisoned." The wyvern explained. Zheek tried to stand up, he even succeeded, when Oscuro pushed him strongly away. The dragon ran for the several meters, trying to keep balance, and eventually, fell on the ground. "He will lack the strength to move. This poison won't kill him, but only paralyze."

"You bastard!" Farady screamed. "You vile..." She tried to stand up, but she only shrieked in agony, as she fell on her twisted arm.

"Spare me this." The wyvern pleased. "Just lay down and die."

"And why should I?" The dragoness grinned insolently and spitted some blood on the ground.

"Do you believe that you can do anything more?" Oscuro explained coldly. "What's the point of fighting when you can't win?" The wyvern wondered. "One day, you would make great warriors. But you faced me whole years too early."

"There's always a slight chance." Farady made a step. "Practically zero." She opened her jaws, charging electricity. "But it's always something." She said. And then, Oscuro ran to her. The dragoness shot and missed, only for a centimeter or two. She raised her only moving arm, blocking blow of his paw. She tried to bite him, when he hit side of her head with hilt of his sword powerfully. He meant to kill her with this blow. And Farady felt it even too well. There could be heard dull noise. Whole Farady's world spun, she stepped away and fell on the ground. It felt, as if he had turned her skull into hundreds pieces, each of them burning painfully. She could see Oscuro walk away from her in direction of her brother. She wanted to move so much. But this pleasant, tempting feeling of somnolence was calling her: Why not to rest? It was the end, after all. She lost. She couldn't change anything. She could only watch her brother's death. Farady closed her eyes and down her cheek, there flowed a tear. "I'm sorry, Zheek, if I managed to keep him for a second more... Why didn't you burn both me and him? You'd kill him and I would somehow survive... Maybe. I should have told you to do that. But I didn't." She opened her eyes once more. The wyvern was already standing before her brother. "Stop, Oscuro. Don't you... dare..." She whispered, but realized that it was pointless. A simple tear fell on the ground. "Sorry, brother. I screwed up."


	47. Chapter 46

Chapter 46. "My name is Cuarto Vengantimo"

Vixen rolled away, just in time to avoid several streams of electricity. She hissed angrily, as she realized that Clavius swung Lanzador fast enough to absorb her attack. He quickly gave it back to her. The black dragoness squeezed with surprise, as powerful strike of wind threw her away for several meters. Luckily, she managed to land on the long grass softly.

"Out of ideas?" Clavius grinned. He had plenty of flesh wounds, burning, but none dangerous to his life. THe most of his scales were covered in blood now.

"Trust me, not yet." Vixen assured him.

"You know, I already have an idea what will I do to you once I have you. You have to pay me for your insolence with something special. I've never done it to you, finding it wrong..." This word didn't fit Clavius's tone of voice at all, as Vixen noticed. "But in those circumstances, I have to punish you in such a way that you won't dare repeating this all." The wyvern landed. "Do you want to know what is it?" The black dragoness just snorted hatefully.

"No, thanks." She jumped in the air, watching him carefully.

"Fine, I'll make it a surprise." The prince agreed. He joined her in the aerial fight. Vixen flew to him, slipped right beneath Lanzador, slashing his side shallowly; another wound. Clavius had already a countless amount of those, none of them serious, but all together very disturbing him. He swung at her the tailblade, but the dragoness leaned before it and spun, slashing his tail with paws. She wanted to fly away from him, when she felt her tail caught. She didn't fight it, but turned around and slashed with talons, Her eyes grew wide, as he almost spiked her chest. The dragoness flew at the side, avoiding it and her tail slipped between his fingers, slashing those. She released herself. The black dragoness flew away. She was gliding right above the ground, when Clavius threw at her Lanzador. It went stuck in the ground, missing and Vixen landed before it and pulled the chain, hoping to bring that wyvern to the ground. Unfortunately for her, Clavius did this same in that moment and since he was much stronger, Vixen found herself flying uncontrollably to him. She dropped the chain, Lanzador flew next to her and wyvern held it. The black dragoness took deep breath, Clavius aimed Lanzador at her.

"He has no wind in there, he had used all of it at once back then." She said to himself. And then, The black dragoness felt powerful blow of air against her chest. He still had some of wind in that purple crystal sword. The black dragoness was falling to the ground with great speed. She managed to slow down a little with wings and wind and fell on the ground, rolling. She stopped at her belly. Lanzador appeared stuck in the ground at her left, where she meant to jump away. Indeed, Clavius knew her far too well. The wyvern landed on her, the chain appeared around her neck almost choking her, he held her paws and his tail wrapped around her. The black dragoness couldn't move at all and Clavius could choke her to unconsciousness or death, if he only wanted.

"So, once I have you, I promised I'd tell you what I meant to do." The wyvern said, enjoying the moment. Vixen hissed angrily.

"You'll pay for this." The black dragoness warned, even though she had no idea what he planned.

"Oh, I can hardly believe that." The wyvern disagreed. "So, shall we begin?" He suggested. He raised both his and her tail. He grinned devilishly. Vixen's heart skipped a beat, as she realized what he meant to do.

"I've tortured you for so many years, but I've never have thought of this. I have never attacked one aspect of your life: sexuality. I believe we should change it." He cackled, raising his voice joyfully. Oh, he couldn't wait to give her pain. The dragoness struggled, but there was no use. He held her still. She hissed hatefully. Then, the ending of his tailblade touched violently the gentle skin beneath her tail. The black dragoness closed her eyes, which turned wet. She couldn't stop tears. He just touched her and... She'd rather him to torture her for a week than touch her in such a way. She didn't want to even think what he would do her in next seconds.

"Stop!" She shrieked desperately. "Stop!" The wyvern only smiled.

"You can scream." Clavius whispered silently.

Nine years earlier

It was the middle of night when thirteen-year-old dragoness walked to her brother, sitting at the border of Venganza's camp. Brother... Oh, she wanted to tell him her true identity so much, but she couldn't. She ran to Cuarto and sat next to him.

"Sable, can we talk?" She pleased. The wyvern turned around and watched her curiously.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" He asked, surprised.

"I couldn't sleep." The little dragoness explained herself.

"What's wrong?" Sable asked, concerned.

"I need to ask you about something... intimate." Vixen clarified. Her voice trailed off a little, as she lowered her sight shyly and blushed slightly. Sable watched her carefully. She was twelve. It was this age when she could clearly see the difference between males and females and she would ask lots of hard questions, such as where hatchlings come from.

"Shouldn't you ask a female about it? She could help you better than me." Sable suggested, trying to avoid it. Vixen watched him skeptically.

"What female?" She asked. Sable opened his jaws to explain when he realized that there was no other female in Venganza.

"Right." Cuarto agreed reluctantly. "So, what is it?" He asked.

"You see, dad explained me today where hatchlings come from." Vixen smiled slightly and Sable sighed with relief stealthily. He didn't feel like explaining it to her on his own. "Dad said about bees and birds, he explained me how works male-female relationship and..." The black dragoness sighed deeply. She leaned against Cuarto, putting her head at his shoulder. "It's so complicated. I thought that when mom and dad really love each other, the egg appears just like that. But there's mating, fertilization, pregnancy, laying an egg and then, finally it hatches. It's so long..." Sable just smiled slightly, surprised with her childish naivety. And she had advised him what to do about Viola two years earlier. But could he expect anything more from child of her age? And then, Sable noticed some change in her voice, as if she feared something.

"Dad said that I'm already quite matured, so I should be aware about some danger. He..." Her voice shook gently. "He explained me what means to rape, you know, because Atroz was banished from his tribe for it." She felt creeps across her body, so she curled up and Sable surrounded her with the wing protectively. "I knew that it was something very bad, but for ancestors' sake, how could anyone do it to any female? We're weaker, tinier and males should protect us, not..."

"I know." Sable interrupted her, agreeing. "Don't think about this." He suggested.

"But when I left dad's camp, I fell on Atroz and he looked at me in such a way that I... I..." She took deep breath. "I realized that he had been watching me like that for all the time, as if he wanted to..." In her eyes, there appeared tears.

"No worries, kid. He won't do anything to you. I won't let him." Cuarto promised.

"You can't protect me forever. Sometimes you and dad leave the camp." Vixen noticed with worries about herself. In moments like that, she would prove that she still was just a child, desperately needing help of her big brother, whom she couldn't even tell her real name. "If he attacks me, I don't even know how to defend myself." She explained.

"Keep distance, don't let him knock you out or catch you." Sable advised.

"And if he does?" Vixen asked. She really needed to know what to do then.

"Remember, such a twisted-minded type as Atroz, if he succeeds in attacking you, will enjoy the moment before hurting you. You can scream and someone will hear you, come and help. And if not, remember that once he believes you can't do anything, he'll let excitement overwhelm him. And when it does, it will be the chance for you to release yourself." Cuarto said.

"And what if I don't..."

"You will, kid. You will." Sable assured her.

The black dragoness remembered this conversation too well. Clavius knew it as well, after all Vixen had repeated to him everything that she remembered when she was being tortured. But his twisted mind didn't fail Vixen. He completely forgot about it because of this excitement. He wasn't excited, because he'd rape her, but only because she would suffer. What a sick mind. Vixen realized that he wasn't holding her as strongly as just several seconds earlier. It was all that she needed. She released her front paws and turned on the back rapidly. Her tail slipped away from his grasp. Clavius, seeing that something was going not as planned, involuntarily caught Lanzador. Terrible mistake, as for him, since he loosened the chain even more. With dexterous move of front paw, she released her neck from that choking metal. In this same moment, she kicked him powerfully between his hips with both legs. Her talons made sure that it was terribly painful hit, which not only slashed him, but even torn off some of his belly's scales. Then, she released a blow of air, sending him in the air for several meters. Clavius hissed hatefully with pain written all over his face, aiming at her with Lanzador. Vixen swallowed hardly. She had this very unpleasant feeling that even though she was already rolling away, he wouldn't miss. But then, she saw some shadow flying at him. The dark newcomer countered the wyvern, after a second, sudden blow of sonic shriek sent Clavius to the ground about twenty meters farther. The newcomer landed before Vixen and then, she recognized her.

"Cynder!" Vixen shouted joyfully and hung on dragoness's neck. The black dragoness smiled and poked youngster's back.

"Hey, Vixen." She greeted her, smiling. Every time they'd meet, Cynder had a feeling, as if she was Vixen's older sister. She just kept looking more and more like Cynder. "Are you alright? I've heard screams so I flew as fast as I could." She said, seriously concerned.

"Perfect timing, Cynder." Vixen admitted, smiling. "You saved my tail." The little dragoness stood up. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"We knew that you're in troubles, so we came." Cynder explained.

"We? You mean guardians are here? And Spyro? How did you know?" The black dragoness asked with disbelief.

"I'll explain you once we all meet up." The older one offered. Vixen nodded. Then, both of them turned at Clavius, doubling up in pain. Vixen smiled with savage satisfaction. Cynder noticed that her hinder paws were covered in blood and eyes were glazing with bloodthirsty, furious sight.

"He tried to rape you, didn't he?" The black dragoness guessed. "I guess it wasn't a good idea for his." She noticed.

"Yeah. I made sure that it wasn't." The small dragoness confirmed with cold satisfaction. "But he never was the clever one." Cynder could see that Vixen hated him from the bottom of her heart. Her blood was boiling, as she watched the wyvern who meant to rape her. Now, she wanted him dead like never before. "Cynder, stand back, if you could." The little dragoness asked.

"But..."

"Thank you, if not you, he'd most likely spike me to the ground and resume what he meant." Vixen grinned to her childishly. "But here stands the wyvern who spent over half of decade torturing me for his own fun. He's my fear and I have to defeat him only for myself." She explained. "Don't interfere, no matter what happens."

"And what if he..." Cynder tried to refuse.

"There's no if." Vixen interrupted her. The older dragoness watched her carefully. Then, she smiled and stepped back. It wasn't her fight.

"Deal with him." She agreed.

"I will." The youngster promised. She made a fighting pose. "Stand up, Clavius, and fight! Cynder won't interfere, I promise!" She assured. The wyvern stood up slowly. He believed Vixen, but not because he found her honorable. He still believed that she wouldn't dare lying to him.

"You'll pay for this, kid! You'll suffer like never before!" The prince promised. The little dragoness just snorted.

"You will barely try." She whispered. Both of them jumped in the air. Clavius threw Lanzador at her, but she avoided it without any problem and stood face to face with him. The wyvern caught her left paw with his right and meant to slash her, when she caught his paw with jaws, biting it strongly, and tried to slash his chest. Clavius leaned back, avoiding this blow and brought his paw closer, pulling Vixen with it. Before she realized that, he already hit her jaws with forehead, released his paw and threw her to the ground. The little dragoness squeaked and started falling uncontrollably, as wyvern's lightning hit her back. Clavius was right behind her. The little dragoness fell on the ground, rolled away for several meters. The prince landed before the laying dragoness, who groaned painfully. All over covered in his own blood, grinning ominously before the little paralyzed with lightning dragoness, completely defenseless.

"It's a little harder to move when hit with this, isn't it?" Clavius noticed. Cynder was about to stand between him and her. In that moment, she noticed that Vixen was grinning. It surprised her so much that she remained still. And then, something glowed in her paws, there could be heard doubled noise of blade piercing flesh. Clavius screamed painfully, Vixen jumped away. The wyvern realized with disbelief that both Vixen's daggers were stuck in his shoulders.

"So she had planned this all, she fell to the ground to get those daggers." Clavius realized. But she missed vital points. He took blades out of his wounds; they were bleeding intensively. He made a step to her, one more and then, his legs bent under him. The prince, completely surprised, fell on the ground. "What the..." Vixen only smiled.

"You've bled out too much to even stand. You kept bleeding intensively from the very beginning of the fight and so… it's over." The black dragoness explained. Clavius raised his paw slowly, watching it with disbelief. He realized that it was unnaturally pale.

"Clavius, I've never meant to kill you with one decisive blow. You said that you know me so well. Haven't I told you that I love winning by bleeding the enemy out to unconsciousness?" The black dragoness asked. Cynder jumped in the air and quickly joined Vixen.

"So, you've got him?" She asked. The younger dragoness nodded.

"He's ours."

"What now?"

"Now..." Vixen took both her daggers and hid them to the scabbard. Then, she grasped Lanzador and separated it into two swords. With one, she stuck his paws to the ground and then she did this same with his hinder legs and tail. The wyvern hissed painfully, but he couldn't move. He had already lost too much blood to fight. "Now, Clavius, look at me." The black dragoness ordered. The prince turned his head at her and glared deeply into her eyes. Now, the torturer was victim.

"Vixen..." He whispered.

"Shut up!" The little dragoness scolded him. Then, she grinned ominously. "Soon, you bleed to death. But we have lots of time before this. For all these years, you've learnt me one thing: how to torture, how to give unbearable pain and yet, not kill. So, how about we play your favorite game? As long as you speak, it doesn't hurt. You know what interests me." Then, she scratched his side painfully. Clavius hissed. She exactly knew where to aim.

"Vixen..." Cynder tried to stop her. Vixen looked at her and smiled childishly. She gave the other dragoness innocent sight, as if she wanted to tell: No worries, I won't torture him. I only need information and I'll kill him painlessly. Cynder nodded with understanding and the little dragoness grinned devilishly to Clavius.

"So, what will you choose? Will you speak or suffer?" She asked with such a voice, as if she was already excited just thinking about the pain that she would give him. She had heard Clavius saying this sentence too many times not to be able to copy it.

"I will speak." The prince agreed. He knew what he had put Vixen through and he would never want her to do this same with him, no matter what the price was.

Sable swung his sword powerfully. Cobro blocked it with his red blade. And he realized that it was terrible mistake when his sword simply broke in half, slowing down dragon's blade just a little. What saved him was a quick jump back, but still, Sable left on his left shoulder shallow wound. Clavius stepped back, threw half of sword at former Vengantimo, who reflected it with quick whirl. Now, he was holding two other swords: white and green ones, leaving both Sable's katanas in their scabbards. There could be heard whistle of air, as Sable swung his sword at the wyvern. With every blow, he was striking stronger and stronger. Cobro jumped quickly to his side and stung with both blades. Sable stepped away whirling his father's blade to protect himself. Neither of them used elements. The lightning dragon knew that his lightning from jaws was terribly weak and he didn't want to use it, because it could provoke Cobro to use his ice again. And the wyvern didn't use it, because Sable didn't use his and it wouldn't be any fun, if he had such an advantage. Sable swung his sword horizontally and then, its ending hit some thick tree, disappearing in wood. It was stuck. Sable just hissed angrily and dropped it, hiding behind his blade to avoid a blow from the side. Then he leaned beneath it, hiding from attack from above, and charged the lightning, shooting it into his chest to force him back. It wasn't strong, but it hit Cobro making an effect. The prince stepped back for several steps, Sable stood up quickly, grasped hilt of his sword, and pulled it strongly, releasing the blade. Cobro swung with the white sword from above, perfectly vertically. Sable blocked it hitting its side with edge of blade, pushing it away and once those reached a hard tree, breaking it. Cobro hissed angrily and jumped back. The number of his swords rapidly decreased to only three. Those two, relatively gentle swords were easily broken. He took Sable's katana, leaving the second one in horizontally hanged scabbard. Luckily, three swords he still had were much harder and wouldn't break. Cobro swung the katana, releasing the wave of ice spikes. The dragon cursed silently, jumped away and rolled across the grass hiding behind a tree, which shielded him from another one. Cobro smiled ominously.

"You know, Sable, those katanas of yours are genius! Really! The way to multiply the power of elements!" He watched beautiful, simple sword carefully. Sable walked from behind the tree. "Just two weeks and I can already do such things with it!"

"Where do you have your ice from?" Sable asked.

"Where did you get those blades?" The wyvern wondered.

"From Primero. Ask my question." The lightning dragon ordered.

"Ask your Primero." Cobro suggested. Sable snorted hatefully. He jumped to the wyvern and attacked.

"Not so rush!" The wyvern stepped away swinging his katana twice and sending two sharp waves of ice. Sable avoided both of them dexterously. He was already before him and swung his blade powerfully from upper left. Cobro blocked it and pushed Sable away, releasing the wave of ice aimed exactly at dragon's chest. Sable fell on the ground beneath it, but it managed to wound his left arm shallowly. Cobro send another ice wave at laying dragon. Sable quickly rolled away and stood up.

"Not so bad, but there are tricks that you still can't do." Sable admitted.

"I'll have years to practice." Cobro noticed.

"You will, unless you keep standing in my way." The lightning dragon warned.

"You don't want to fight me at all, do you, Cuarto?" The wyvern asked.

"Don't call me Cuarto."

"And what if I gave you motivation to fight me, Cuarto?"

"I am not Cuarto!" Sable shouted.

"And if I tell you that your daughter is dead?" Cobro wondered, not mincing his words. This information, completely out of the blue, struck Sable with the power of the thunderbolt. He felt his heart skip a beat, his eyes grew wide in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" He asked with disbelief. He was sure that he had misunderstood him.

"Your daughter, Arriate, the five years old lightning dragoness with beautifully gold, gently orange eyes and six little white horns was killed by an assassin about two weeks ago, Cuarto." He grinned ominously and Sable knew that he wasn't lying. Cobro wouldn't take such a joy in lying to him. "At first, he broke her arm with sword, almost cutting it off. Then, after a moment of her hiding, his talons slashed through her chest. Deeply. But he didn't kill her yet, Cuarto. She was alive when her friends came for her. They took her to the city, knowing them, they most likely even managed to heal her wounds. But she was already poisoned. The amount of venom enough to kill ten times bigger than her dragon was already in her veins. You perfectly know how it works. At first, there comes weakness. Then, it attacks eyes, one after another, corrupting them and blinding. Later, after hours of agony, she dies. And the only antidote that ever existed, your blood from when you still were Vengantimo, was there, in your bag." Cobro pointed the bag at Sable's side. Indeed, the antipoison was still there. Sable put his paw in there and felt small bottle with red liquid at its bottom.

"Cobro, run." Sable warned silently. His voice was cold, seemingly calm. Only seemingly.

"Will you fight now, Vengantimo?" The wyvern asked.

"Vengantimo, Cuarto..." In Sable's eyes, there glowed some light, under raising blood pressure those turned were red. And the glow... It was hatred. "You keep calling me like this, even though you don't know what those names mean. You want me so badly to be Vengantimo." Sable sighed deeply. Then, at his lips, there danced bloodthirsty grin. "So here I am. My name is Cuarto." He whispered. And then, he attacked. He was fast. Faster than ever earlier. The wyvern cursed silently, as he barely managed to block the sudden rain of stings and slashes. Cobro attacked horizontally from Sable's right. The dragon stuck great blade in the ground, blocking the blow, dashed beneath another sword and appeared at Cobro's side. There, he drawn from wyvern's scabbard the second katana, turned around and slashed. The wyvern tried to block it, but Sable was too fast. He slashed through his arm easily. If he only wanted, he could have cut it off. But he didn't, he only broke the bone. Cobro groaned painfully. They stopped about five meters from each other. Sable watched the wyvern with cold hatred.

"Oh, this is what I'm talking about! You achieve your full strength when you are mad! And those red eyes! The heritage of kings finally retrieved within you!" Cobro looked at his green sword laying on the ground between them. He not really had a chance to get it back. But he wouldn't need it. He could fight only with katana. And it looked like Sable meant to do so as well.

"My full strength, you say?" Sable asked with disbelief. "It's not even a percent of my full strength." He closed his eyes and enclosed the blade to his face. "Sable del Relampago." He whispered. Whole the katana started glowing in electricity. Cobro smiled.

"Nice trick. How about this? Espada del Helado!" His sword was covered in sheath of ice, enlightening the sword and making it wider. "I've heard what you could do with these, so I tried for myself." Sable just smiled pitifully, already knowing that he had won. Two fighters jumped to each other, howling madly. Once their swords crossed, Cobro felt terrible pain, as thousands volts went through his body. The katana slipped between his paralyzed fingers and the wyvern fell on the ground. Sable kicked him strongly throwing against some tree. He wasn't dead, not yet. Sable wouldn't let him go this easily. Cobro fell on the ground several meters farther, not believing that it was happening. Sable took his blade and hid it to the scabbard, then the second one.

"How?" Cobro asked with disbelief. He was laying on the ground paralyzed, completely defenseless.

"Ice won't protect you from the electricity. Not, if you touch it."

"But... But Icey was Tercera! He was stronger than you! His ice was..."

"He was stronger than me." Sable confirmed. "But he wouldn't fall on such a simple attack." He explained. "This is where the fight ends." He whispered. He watched the wyvern hatefully. "But your pain is just about to begin." He stepped to him slowly. Then, he crouched before Cobro. "So, you said that the second one was chest, wasn't it?" He asked, as he placed three talons at the height of Cobro's right lung. Wyvern's eyes grew wide. He was speaking about Arriate. He meant to reproduce her death using him, give him exactly this same wounds. Then, Vengantimo noticed that before him, there was lying some crumpled paper. It was the one that Cobro gave him.

"Read it." The wyvern said weakly. Or maybe was it a voice of his curiosity? "See the truth. You're not a dragon, but Vengantimo." Sable watched it with curiosity. Cobto's death could wait, he wasn't going anywhere. He only delayed his own demise. Sable grasped it and started reading aloud.

"A month before planned takeover in Celeste Tribu, one of envoys, an ice dragon called Sting eavesdropped a conversation of Verdad, Principe de la Celeste Tribu, in which he mentioned about plans of killing the royal family. He headed to Warfang immediately to tell the news the guardians. After several hours of debate, the dragon guardians decided that they will remain neutral and won't interfere into Celeste Tribu's internal policy." That was where the page came to the end. Sable read this with disbelief.

"So, I was right, wasn't I?" Cobro noticed with amusement. "The dragons betrayed your family years ago. Why wouldn't they do it again?" He asked. And then, both males heard some steps. Sable turned around and he saw... her.

"Sable." A lightning dragoness called him. Former Vengantimo's eyes grew wide.

"Stella. What are you doing here?" He asked with disbelief.

"I've come after you." The lightning guardian explained. "Sable, step away from him." She pleased. She understood the situation too well.

"You wrote it, I recognize this handwriting. Is it true?" Sable threw to her feet small paper. Stella looked at it. There fell silence. "Is it true?!" He demanded an answer.

"Not all of it. The next day, the guardians decided to send an envoy back to Celeste Tribu to warn your father. He was a great ally to the dragons, they couldn't behave neutrally in such a situation, as they decided. An envoy was sent. But there was an accident, some wolves attacked him. He was saved by a group of feral dragons and he spent with them several weeks. Before he woke up, it was already too late." The lightning dragoness explained sadly. "Could you..."

"No, I can't." Sable refused. "I don't even want to. He will suffer exactly this same as my daughter did because of him. Arriate died because of this scum! I will kill him!" The former Vengantimo didn't mean to give up on this.

"Sable, your daughter lives." Stella said. Sable watched her with disbelief.

"You lie, there's no way she could make it. She was poisoned." Cobro refused silently. He knew that he'd die anyway so he wanted to at least hurt Sable. The lightning dragon watched Stella carefully. He wanted to believe her, but he knew that she could lie him to protect him from seek of vengeance. What a noble soul, wasn't she? Too bad that Sable wanted to take the revenge.

"She lives."

"Can you prove it, Stella?" Sable asked.

"No, I can't, not now, not here." She refused. "It's only your choice to believe me or not. Now, please, stop."

"Why should I?" Sable asked. "Because of him and his father, my parents were killed! He ordered to murder my children! It's because of him that Arriate..." His voice trailed off.

"What does it change? Will the fact that you tortured him undo what he has done?" Stella couldn't believe that he used such an argument.

"No, but he should suffer this same pain as he gave! I can't let him go just like that after what he has done!" The lightning dragon disagreed angrily.

"It's just an excuse." The guardian noticed.

"It's not an excuse!" Sable scolded her so loudly that it scared her , but only a little.

"It is, Sable, and in the bottom of your heart, you know it. No matter how good it is, it remains just an excuse for vengeance, for Venganza. Do you remember what Douten fought for? Justice, as he would say. It was a perfect excuse. He had a noble goal as he believed and yet, he fell. He lost everyone he loved because of it." In that moment, Sable's thoughts focused on his family. "Will you commit this same mistake as him?" Stella asked, but she heard no reply. "Sable? Or, should I call you Cuarto?" The lightning dragon remained silent. "Speaking of this..." She took a sheet of paper. "Both I and he read what was written on the next page. It's only your choice whom you believe." Two dragons looked deeply into each other's eyes. Then, Sable stepped away from Cobro, dropped the blade. He walked to Stella and hugged her thankfully.

"Girls, girls... What would I do without you?" He asked silently, smiling.

"It's good to see you alive, Sable." Stella whispered joyfully.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too, my friend." The lightning dragon agreed. "Just kill him, could you?" He asked, pointing at Cobro. Stella nodded. She stepped to the prince and slit his throat, killing him instantly. Then, she took Sable's scabbards off his back and threw those to Sable.

"It's yours." She noticed. Sable smiled.

"Indeed." He agreed. He wore all three swords on his back.

"What is this sword?" The lightning guardian asked curiously pointing the red blade.

"It used to belong to my father. So, is Arriate really alive?" The dragon asked with disbelief.

"Yeah, she is. She's most likely still in the hospital, but Ember assured that nothing endangered her life." Stella said. "Now, let's go to the others, shall we?" She suggested.

"We need to help Vixen." Sable said.

"No, we don't, Cynder already headed there." The lightning dragoness informed him. "What a mess, don't you think?" She noticed.

"Yeah. Once we all gather up, we'll explain you what had happened. Who is with you?" The medic asked.

"There are also Candice, Tremor and Cynder. Flame and Spyro had left a day earlier, so they not really had a way to join us, that's why they're not here." She explained. Sable nodded slightly.

"So, you say Arriate's fine?" He had to ask again, simply not believing it.

"She's alive. I'll explain you everything once we're with others." Stella assured.

"Let's go." He agreed. Both of them jumped in the air, leaving behind broken swords and the corpse of Cobro, hijo del Verdad, Principe de la Celeste Tribu.


	48. Chapter 47

Chapter 47. "The free dragoness"

"Oscuro." A silent whisper echoed through the air. The wyvern ignored it. "Oscuro." Weak, female voice called, a little louder this time. But he didn't react. Why would he care about someone already dead? Those whispers were just her last, desperate moves before unavoidable demise. But then, Farady opened her eyes. The wyvern prince was standing before her younger brother, raising his sword, about to kill him. She didn't want to die yet. Not when she still could change anything. "Stop, Oscuro." She said, this time loudly enough. Oscuro turned around and watched her with surprise. Farady, slowly and carefully, started moving. She could feel that something was very wrong with her head after his last blow. She stood up at three of her limbs with her left wing on the ground and left arm hanging loosely. "I am not done. Not yet." She said angrily with such a voice, as if she could change anything. She heard beating of the wings behind her. Or maybe was it just her heart?

"Why didn't you lay down? I thought I've killed you. You'd make it alive." Oscuro couldn't believe that this dishonorable dragoness still meant to fight.

"I won't let you kill my brother." She replied stubbornly.

"It's not like you can change anything, can you? Just look at yourself." The prince noticed with something like pity. Farady smiled slightly. The beating of those wings behind her, or rather her heart, was getting faster and louder.

"I believe I can." She refused. "I'm a free dragon. I am free to choose if I fight or give up. And I won't give up." Oscuro sighed deeply.

"This beautiful, romantic fight. It's pity that it always ends up with death, don't you think?" He noticed. "I guess I can't count on you to just lay down and pretend that you're dead, even if it would save your life?" He wondered.

"Are you scared of me?" Farady asked with amusement.

"No, I just feel awkward about killing someone even more defenseless than protective. Especially in that pitiful state." The wyvern explained. Farady opened her jaws. Between her teeth, there already started jumping electricity.

"Just lie down." Oscuro ordered.

"Make me." Farady riposted insolently.

"If you insist." The wyvern agreed reluctantly. He had really meant to keep the dragoness alive, but kill only her brother. But she gave him no choice, sentencing both of them to death. From the ground, there appeared an earth spike aiming exactly at her throat. Oscuro's sword started enclosing to her brother's throat. For all that time he was laying unconscious, paralyzed by venom. Farady knew that she wouldn't avoid the blow, so she just shot the lightning, missing just for several centimeters. It wasn't her lucky day, was it? In the moment she expected to feel unpleasant pressure against her neck, someone pushed her away on the ground. She watched with disbelief some shield of earth, which blocked wyvern's sword just above her brother. Oscuro, realizing that blade was stuck, jumped above some earth bullets and landed at the newcomer's shield, grasping the sword in the tail and then, jumped in the air, releasing it and throwing to his paw. Siblings' savior, some earth dragon jumped to him. Farady wanted to scream, to warn him not to face the wyvern in close distance. But there was no need. After dragon's first three blows, Oscuro realized that his opponent was very cocky. But another three blows proved him that he was even more skilled. The wyvern was giving his best to slash the dragon, but, to his disbelief, he couldn't. And the speed wasn't the point there. The dragon was a little slower than Oscuro, but every his blow seemed to be planned in precise way, so that the wyvern was absolutely absorbed in defending himself. The prince jumped away, the enemy landed on the ground. Oscuro dove, landed, ran to his enemy. He was about to slash him with sword, when beneath the earth dragon, there appeared earth pillars which immediately raised him for several meters in the air. Oscuro crushed at those with head, hissed angrily and jumped in the air. There, the dragon was already diving, he caught him in the halfway and threw back to the ground. Oscuro landed hardly, realizing that this dragon was very strong. He saw him coming, so created the earth pillar and swung his sword. But the dragon didn't fall on any of these attacks. He flew next to the earth spike, deflected sword with talons, landed on hinder legs and swung his paw vertically. Farady's eyes grew wide, as she realized that she saw blood at dragon's talons.

"He laid a blow!" She screamed in her mind. "He laid the blow on Oscuro just like that!" Zheek who just managed to withstand poison and open eyes, thought about exactly this same. But the wyvern was the one who realized it even too well. He jumped back and watched his chest carefully. On its right side, there were three long, slashes. Only big doze of luck saved him from losing his lung.

"Wyvern, this beautiful, romantic fight doesn't end up with death." The earth dragon said. Farady's eyes grew wide. She knew this voice. She had heard it somewhere already.

"What's your name?" Oscuro asked.

"And yours?"

"I asked first." The prince noticed.

"So be first to answer." The dragon riposted and grinned insolently, obviously making fun of his enemy.

"I am Oscuro, hijo del Verdad, Principe de la Celeste Tribu." The wyvern introduced himself, bowing slightly.

"And I'm Tremor, the dragon guardian of earth." The guardian didn't bow before someone who meant to kill much younger and weaker than him dragons.

"The dragon guardian?" Oscuro asked with note of disbelief. He always expected them to be very old and Tremor appeared to be only his equal. "That's surprising to see you here."

"Surprising?" Tremor was even more surprised by hearing those words. "You attacked dragons and really believed that you would get away with it just like that?" He asked.

"I hoped so." Oscuro admitted. "I believe that this duel will be much more interesting, won't it?"

"Get lost." Tremor suggested. "You're being surrounded by dragons in this moment, but I'll give you the chance. You can go." The earth guardian ordered. He needed only a glance to estimate that Farady was in terrible state. After all, he had very much of experience with lethal and almost lethal wounds for himself.

"I'd love to fight you, dragon guardian, but let it be as you wish. I hope those hatchling understood not to challenge me again, because if they still try to follow or kill me, I'll simply butcher them." The prince agreed, hiding sword. He jumped in the air and quickly flew away. But before he did it, he gave slight, triumphal farewell glance both Zheek and Farady. Tremor stood before the lightning dragoness.

"I'll carry you." He offered.

"My brother." Farady whispered. "I'll be fine, just take him." She pleased.

"What are you talking about?" Zheek asked. "She has broken wing and something with her head. I'll be able to walk any second." He assured.

"You have something with your head, moron!" Farady shouted back. "You're poisoned!"

"Barely." The fire breather noticed. "And I forgot about your twisted arm, sister." He argued.

"Yeah, but I can at least walk and you don't, moron!" The lightning dragoness riposted. The earth guardian chuckled silently. "What's so funny?" She asked, annoyed.

"You sound somehow familiar to me." He said. When it was up to fight for, she was protective and once it was done yelling at him for such trivial a reason. Yeah, she must have been relative to Candice.

"Who?" The lightning dragoness asked.

"Candice, my mate. You remember her, don't you?" He noticed.

"Right, we've met at Flush's funeral..." Farady recalled.

"Exactly." Tremor confirmed. Then, he placed his paw on her head ad estimated her state. He turned at Zheek and twinkled to the fire breather meaningfully. The fire dragon smiled slightly that the guardian was just about to make some fun of the stubborn dragoness. He was touching her head for several seconds. "You have broken skull." He stated. The lightning dragoness watched him with complete disbelief.

"I have what?" Farady asked with disbelief. Her voice was very weak.

"He broke your skull and you possibly have concussion." Tremor repeated himself.

"It must have happened when he hit you with hilt." Zheek recalled. The earth guardian nodded.

"Yeah. I'd better carry you." He suggested. In that moment, the fire breather managed to raise himself.

"Are you sure?" The dragoness asked. Tremor nodded. She looked at her brother and sighed deeply. "Fine, carry me." She agreed reluctantly. Tremor took her gently on her back, careful about her arm and wing. He looked at Zheek.

"Can you walk?" He asked.

"Somehow." The fire breather confirmed. "Let's go help the others." He suggested. Tremor watched skeptically the young fire breather, still under influence of poison.

"Stay with me." He ordered. Both siblings nodded. As if Farady had any choice. All three dragons headed through the forest. "I've been wondering where have you been for all these years." Tremor confessed.

"We had something to deal with." Farady explained.

"We still have." Zheek added.

"You mean that wyvern, don't you?" The guardian asked rhetorically. "What did he do to your two?"

"He killed our parents, years ago." The fire breather explained. "Flush saved us from him."

"And for whole five years, you've been waiting in those forests for him?" Tremor asked with disbelief.

"Yes, we were trying to ambush him. It was the first time we faced them." Farady confirmed.

"Then you're very lucky that I've come." The earth guardian noticed. "That wyvern isn't weakling at all, if he only wanted, he would kill you without any problem."

"Why have you let him go? You could kill him." The lightning dragoness blamed the guardian.

"It wouldn't be an easy fight. And I would put on the line not only mine, but your lives as well. The victory wouldn't be worth the risk." Tremor explained.

"Wouldn't you kill him? You already had him!" Zheek refused.

"Yes, you slashed his chest!" Farady agreed with her brother.

"But it was only the beginning of the fight. Both of us were at the similar level of skills, I have no idea who would win, even if I asked Gaia for help. Besides, I preferred to take care of you than fight him." The guardian said.

"So he escaped us." Farady noticed. Both siblings looked at each other and nodded slightly. Tremor caught that sight.

"I know what you're thinking. You plan to get healed and try again." He guessed. Both youngsters watched him with honest surprise. "I can't allow you to do it."

"But..." Farady tried to argue.

"Firstly, your and his skills are like earth and sky. He will kill you in only several seconds whenever he wants. Secondly, I will never agree to vengeance." Tremor agreed. Both siblings hung their heads sadly. "I know how you feel. But even if you took your revenge and made it alive, what next? Choosing vengeance as the life goal would only ruin you."

"How can you know?" Zheek asked.

"I've already seen that." Tremor said. His thoughts focused on Douten. He was this same like those two. Filled with bitterness after the death of his parents, seeking justice. It was so easy to fall into the trap of vindictiveness, wasn't it?

"So what are we supposed to do?" Farady asked.

"Join the society. We plan to head back Warfang. You should do this same. You may feel suppressed at first, but I'm sure that you'll find your place there, start family, have happy life and forget about those wyverns."

"I don't know." The dragoness didn't really like this idea. She was the free dragon, after all.

"You don't have to decide now. But give up on this forest and wyvern kingdoms, it's not a place for two lonely dragons." Tremor suggested.

"I guess he's right." Zheek noticed.

"Zheek?" Farady watched him with disbelief. "You really..."

"Come on, Farady, what chance do we stand against him? We should just let it go and live on. Our parents would wish so." He noticed. The lightning dragoness sighed deeply.

"I don't know. I have to think this through." She said.

"I'm not sure either. But we should at least give it a try, don't you think?" Zheek noticed. Farady smiled weakly. Her body hurt terribly.

"Yeah, why not?" She agreed. Then, all three dragons heard some voices. Some sounded familiar. They passed through the last line of trees to see gathering of seven dragons. At the battlefield, there was no more fight. All the bodies of killed wyverns were taken away by the other soldiers, but still, there could be felt stench of blood that had soaked into the ground. Sable and Tris were taking care of Dante, who had a slash on his back and four dragonesses: Stella, Viola, Candice and Ivory were talking.

"Hey, everyone!" Tremor greeted them. All the dragons watched them curiously.

"There you are, Tremor." Candice sighed deeply. "Why so long?"

"Those two fell in serious troubles, it took me a while." The earth guardian explained. "They will need your help, Ivory. Especially Farady." The white dragoness quickly ran to the free dragoness, who Zheek and Tremor gently put on the ground. The medic estimated her state.

"Broken wing, twisted arm..." She started enumerating.

"Tremor said that I have broken skull." Farady whispered. Ivory started checking her head and the guardian smiled slightly to Zheek.

"Yeah, in several places." Ivory confirmed after several seconds. "It's good that you carried her, if not that, there could be some serious complications." She turned to the earth guardian. Zheek watched Tremor with disbelief. He was sure that it was just a bluff. When no one looked, the guardian glared at the fire breather and shrugged, dumbstruck. He thought so as well. It looked like his joke for once had some positive effects.

"So, we're still missing three dragons." The earth guardian noticed.

"Only two." Ivory refused sadly. "Cynder and Vixen."

"But..."

"Crag is dead. He died in order to save me and Dante." Ivory whispered. Tremor sighed pitifully. He perfectly realized how terrible blow it was for her and he accidentally made it only worse.

"So, where are those two?" Stella wondered. Then, they heard beating of some wings. There appeared two black dragonesses.

"Here we are." Cynder landed majestically, smiling to her companions. Vixen didn't slow down, but headed straight to Zheek.

"Zheek!" She shouted joyfully and before the fire breather managed to do anything, she fell at him, hugged strongly, turned over and they rolled for several meters. Zheek looked her completely aghast, as Vixen was hugging him. Farady sent her brother gentle smile, feeling envy a little.

"Vixey?" The fire breather whispered, surprised.

"Oh, I was so scared about you!" The little black dragoness confessed. She nuzzled him immediately. And then, she realized that everyone was watching her. She quickly stood up and blushed intensively. "You see, there appeared Oscuro before us, he had just a small wound and when I asked what had he done to you he only laughed and..." The black dragoness started explaining herself, not sure if she was speaking to her companions or herself.

"There appeared Oscuro?" Sable saved his sister from oppression, focusing all the attention of the others on him and mercifully sparing her any more embarrassment.

"Yes, after we've had a questioning with Clavius and killed him, there appeared Oscuro." Cynder explained.

"He took Lanzador." Vixen explained.

"Did he outsmart you?" Sable asked his sister with something like amusement. He wanted to see that confident dragoness embarrassed once more.

"He attacked by surprise." Cynder interrupted this pleasure of his. "And why did wyverns escape? They could crush you." She wondered.

"If only they knew it wasn't the dragon army coming, but just a single dragoness." Candice said. "I've made such a great mess all of sudden and Viola and others rapidly started shooting elements everywhere. Then, Sable and Stella returned and attacked from flank. Everything in less than fifteen seconds. Wyverns thought they were surrounded, someone screamed to pull back, they panicked and escaped. " The ice guardian explained and sighed with relief. "Thanks ancestors no one of them turned around to see just seven of us. They would slaughter us." She smiled slightly.

"It's our lucky day, isn't it?" Tremor noticed, as he nuzzled his mate congratulating her silently.

"So Cobro's dead too." Vixen noticed. "How about we get out of here? We'd better find someplace where we could sleep without this stench of blood, shall we?" She suggested. All the dragons agreed. Ivory asked Tremor to carry Farady gently. Seeing that Zheek was still under influence of poison, Stella offered him a carry, but the fire breather refused, assuring that he could fly on his own.

Vixen replied Zheek's grin with slight smile, as she watched him carried by the lightning guardian. No matter how badly he wanted to fly on his own, that Oscuro's poison had very intensive influence on him. Vixen slowed down a little to appear between Dante and Tris.

"Hi there." She greeted him and mates smiled to her. "Dante, can we talk?" She pleased. Both Tris and Dante watched her surprised, but they agreed. Vixen and the poet slowed down a little, so that they were flying on the end of the group.

"What bothers you?" Dante asked.

"You and Farady." Vixen explained.

"There's nothing between us." The earth dragon refused quickly.

"And that's what bothers me." Vixen explained and the poet watched her carefully, completely dumbstruck. "Dante, your two were getting along so well, what happened?"

"She kissed me." The poet explained.

"In lips?"

"In lips. And confessed love to me." Dante confirmed.

"I see." Vixen sighed deeply. "You scolded her, as I guess?" The poet nodded slightly. "And from that time you're not talking at all." She noticed and Dante confirmed again. "Oh, dear, dear." She sighed and shook her head.

"What?" The earth dragon asked, a little dumbstruck.

"You should talk with her about her feelings. Explain her that you don't love her in more... gentle way than you did. I can imagine how you felt, but you know that it's not the best idea."

"And why should I?" Dante asked.

"Because Farady feels terrible about it. In last days, she had been so silent and I finally realized why. You like her, or at least I believe so. Tell her that you feel no love towards her, but you still can be friends." She suggested.

"I like her." Dante agreed. He watched the lightning dragoness carefully and sighed deeply. "I guess you're right. I'll talk to her." He agreed.

"You better do it today. You know, the faster, the better for your friendship." Vixen noticed. Dante nodded.

"That's true." He agreed. Then, two dragons sped up ad caught up with Tris.

"So, what were you talking about there?" The fire dragoness wondered.

"It will be my secret." The poet said.

"Dante..." Tris watched him with begging sight and the earth dragon kissed his mate. The fire breather smiled. "Fine." She agreed. Vixen, who watched this, turned her head around and sped up. She didn't like watching couples kiss. She felt then so... alone. Vixen shook her head, getting rid of unpleasant thoughts.

It was already the evening. Dragons, not without help of siblings, who knew those lands pretty well, found a place just perfect for the night. There was large cave and the great field right next to which, there was some river. All of them were pleased with such a location, no one even considered looking for a better one. Tremor, Candice, Viola and Stella returned from very successful hunting to the camp about the evening, where was waiting for them big bonfire prepared by Zheek, Cynder, Vixen and Dante who carried there very much wood, enough for most likely whole night, and set a fire. Ivory, Sable and Tris spent this time healing Farady's wounds, especially wing and head. Her state was stable, but she would need at least two weeks of intensive treatment to cure all the wounds, especially her skull. Soon, all the dragons returned to the camp, the fire was set and deer were roasting on it, releasing pleasant aroma. They started gathering around the bonfire. When in the cave, there remained only Farady and Sable, Dante entered.

"Are you going?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm done." Sable confirmed. He and Farady headed to exit, when poet laid a paw on her shoulder.

"Can we talk?" Dante asked. Farady watched the earth dragon surprised. Sable turned, glaring at them carefully, but then he only shrugged and left the cave.

"Yeah." The lightning dragoness agreed. "Sure."

"So, how are you?" Dante started casually.

"I'm better, I believe. I can move my arm normally. Wing and head still hurt terribly, but it will pass." She explained. "And how's your back?"

"Oh, that's nothing." The earth dragon turned around to see the bandages on his back. "It burns if I move wrongly, but that wyvern's talons avoided key muscles and tendons."

"You were lucky that those were talons, not poisoned tailblade." Farady noticed.

"Sable still has some antidote, so there would be not really a problem. Assuming that he would come in time, of course." He smiled slightly. He really enjoyed their careless talking. "The really lucky one is you, Farady. If not Tremor..." He noticed.

"Yeah." Farady agreed.

"I wanted to talk with about this incident before our escape. You know, when you kissed me." Dante rapidly changed the subject.

"Yes, I remember." The lightning dragoness nodded. "You're still mad at me, aren't you?" She guessed, hanging her head.

"Maybe a little. But I forgive you." Dante assured. Farady raised her head, watching him in joyous disbelief. "I don't have feelings like love towards you, but it doesn't change the fact that you're an amazing dragoness and I would be mad at myself, if our friendship suffered because of such an incident." Dante explained.

"Thank you, Dante." The lightning dragoness hung on his neck joyfully. That was the moment when Tris entered stealthily and watched those two carefully. Neither of them realized that Tris was watching them.

"It won't repeat. I will never ever try to stand between you and Tris, my friend." The lightning dragoness promised. Dante smiled.

"Thank you." He whispered. Then, before them, there stood Tris.

"You know, it's touching and everything, but I guess we should be going, if you want anything to be left for you." The fire breather suggested, grinning to them. Both Dante and Farady nodded and they left the cave. They joined their friends in one great circle. For long time, it was the first night, when they were completely unafraid of any possible wyvern attack.


	49. Chapter 48

Chapter 48. "The bloodline"

All twelve dragons were sitting in the circle around the bonfire, somewhere in the middle of nowhere, not so far from the border of Celeste Tribu, one of the most southern kingdoms of northern wyverns, still in the wyvern lands. With the guardians miraculously appearing in the critical moment of battle, all dragons felt something they had lacked for last several weeks: safety. There were no doubts that if not them, Sable and his companions would most likely be killed that day. The dragons were telling each other the stories of what had happened since group's departure from Warfang. There was no one or two storytellers, but everyone spoke. One dragon started, the second would add some detail, the third another one, the fourth would continue and so it went on. Within several hours, Sable and his company explained guardians and Cynder what had happened in Celeste Tribu and after they escaped it until the battle day. The guardians' story wasn't that developed, but it couldn't be called short either. They told about several interesting incidents, Spyro and Flame's leaving to Dragon Shores, how were kids doing and finally, about incidents with wyverns. The first one was about Ray's family, Tremor fully explained what had happened, keeping for himself only the localization of Douten's "Forbidden Alchemy." This story really intrigued all the dragons. What did wyverns intend, if they needed this book? After the earth guardian, there spoke Stella. She started describing wyverns' attack on the youngsters. This story took her long, but she didn't hurry with it not to miss any important detail. She was too important for them, especially Sable and Viola, for that she could afford for not mentioning anything. Of course, she spared parents description of Arriate when she found her. This view was blood-freezing for her, she didn't try to imagine how would Arriate's parents react. She was speaking for already quite long time when she came to the point, where little lightning dragoness lost consciousness in the hospital.

"She was poisoned, right?" Sable asked to make sure that he hadn't missed anything important.

"Yes, she was." The lightning guardian confirmed.

"But you said that she's alive." Viola watched her skeptically.

"There is no cure to wyvern's poison." Sable noticed. The lightning guardian smiled slightly.

"There is one, Sable." She disagreed. The lightning dragon watched her dumbstruck for a while. Then, he took from his bag small bottle filled with red liquid.

"Yes, there is. But the only one is here, in my paws." He noticed. "So, how is it possible?"

"Patience, Sable. Patience." Cynder admonished him, smiling slightly. "Stella, go on, could you?" The lightning dragoness nodded slightly.

Two weeks earlier

Ñeque was grasping his sister's paw, watching her face with closed eyes and gentle smile. All the youngsters hung their heads sadly. Flush sighed deeply.

"Can we stay here until..." He didn't finish the sentence. He couldn't. In his eyes, there could be clearly read that he didn't understand death. How could Arriate be gone just like this? Fall asleep to never wake up again?

"You can stay here." Stella agreed. "I will go to the guardians' building to tell the news. If you need anything..."

"I'll stay with them." Infernus declared. The lightning guardian watched him carefully. Then she nodded.

"Bye, kids." She said, kissed her mate's cheek gently and headed to the exit.

"Aunt Stella, is there no antipoison?" Ñeque asked. The lightning guardian turned around slowly and watched young ice dragons with determination written all over his face. She lowered her sight sadly.

"No one has ever found one, Ñeque." She replied.

"But we still have time." The ice dragon noticed.

"Several hours." Stella agreed.

"If it's poison, there must be an antipoison." Ñeque thought with his childish logic.

"And if there's any, someone must have already discovered it." Flush followed his friend's thinking. "Dragons have had hundreds years to discover it." Zap agreed.

"And if there is any place where it was written..." Torch wondered.

"Library!" Both Sierra and Tundra fell on that idea in exactly this same moment.

"It must be somewhere there!" Flush said.

"Aunt Stella, can we get to the library? If we found something, we could save my sister!" Ñeque pleased. Stella watched all those naïve youngsters in disbelief.

"Kids..." She started. Then, Ember placed a paw on her arm.

"Stella, let them do it." She whispered.

"But there's no..."

"I know." The pink dragoness agreed. "But let them at least try to save her. They will feel much better, if they know that they had done all that they could." Ember explained her silently. Stella sighed deeply.

"Fine." She agreed silently. "Infernus, go to the city librarian for the keys and take youngsters there." She decided. "Kids, there are hundreds book about alchemy and there aren't many of you. Not speaking of fact that Flush and Ñeque can barely read." She noticed.

"Then we will call others for help." Flush suggested.

"Yeah, everyone that can help! Classmates, neighbors, friends, everyone that we know can help." Zap continued.

"We have whole city and whole night to read through those books." Ñeque agreed.

"So we're going there." Infernus confirmed. "I will go for the keys and open library. You kids go to everyone you know, wake them up and tell them to take their friends, brothers, sisters, even whole families to library. We still have some time." The fire breather summed up their plan.

"So, let's do it!" Zealous shouted with optimism. They bided goodbye to Arriate once more and all the youngsters ran to the exit and left the hospital. Right behind them, there was Infernus. Stella and Ember watched the opened door and some medic, standing at the corridor, surprised by group of running youngsters. The pink dragons smiled slightly.

"I'll prepare the herbs and wake up some alchemist. I will be waiting here, by Arriate. You never know what they may find." She noticed. Stella nodded slightly.

"And I am heading to the guardians' building." She decided.

Ñeque and Zap were in this same team, as they called it. They ran across the dark street.

"It's here." The lightning dragon said and knocked at the door. There was no response. He knocked again, much stronger. There could be heard some disappointed mumbling and the door was opened.

"What?" Some earth dragon asked with sleepy voice. "Zap?" He asked with disbelief, as he recognized his classmate.

"Hey, Stein, we'll need your help." The lightning dragon said.

"Don't you think it's not the time? It's the middle of night." Stein noticed.

"Arriate's in trouble." Zap explained.

"Did Shade get her?" The earth dragon yawned deeply.

"She's dying." The lightning dragon explained.

"What?!" Stein watched him with disbelief.

"No time for explanation, listen, wake up you brother and sister and tell them to go to the city library. My dad is there, he will explain them what to do." Zap pleased.

"And me?" The earth dragon asked.

"Go to your cousin and take him to the library as well. We need as many dragons as possible. And your parents, if you could." Zap said.

"Why to library?" He asked.

"It's long story, we don't have much time. See you there!" Both the lightning dragon and Ñeque ran forward to a house of another of their friends.

"So, how many people we've already gathered?" Ñeque wondered.

"I have no idea at all." Zap just shrugged. "Just half an hour passed and I've already lost count." Both males took dexterously sudden turn. "Do you think that we will find the cure?" He asked.

"I hope so." The ice dragon said.

A little later, Infernus was writing the key words on probably fiftieth sheet of paper. Those were words like wyvern, poison, antipoison, cure, antidote, venom. The reason of doing so was simple. The dragons were learnt writing most likely at the age of six so the most of Flush and Ñeque's equals could read only a little. And so, Infernus would wrote them the key words and sent those youngest ones to help their older friends to make sure that they wouldn't miss anything. The fire breather was honestly surprised with the number of dragons helping with looking for the cure. The city librarian was very skeptical about this at first, he would say that there was no cure, but once the fire breather persuaded him to at least give it a try, he was giving his best to help all those dragons. He searched every book where could possibly be the information about antipoison, sometimes even suggesting where to look for it precisely, if tome had several hundred pages. The fire breather watched around carefully. There were dragons of practically every age: from five years old youngsters, teenagers and adolescents to dragons older than Infernus's grandfather. And there were so many of them that some had to work outside. Thanks ancestors it was the middle of warm summer and there was no rain, as he noticed in his mind. The fire breather closed another book and put it aside. Some library worker took it away with at least twenty other on his back and headed to the shelves. Infernus watched all those dragons, working intensively, most of them exhausted and still, planning to spend here whole night and this all in order to save one life. And it wasn't that they were saving some hero like the purple dragon. They did it for Arriate, just an ordinary hatchling who many of them didn't even know personally. Could something this good appear to be wrong? This view poured the hope into his heart and the fire breather resumed reading, doubling his efforts to find the cure, completely forgetting that everyone kept telling him that it didn't exist.

Flush was laying on the floor of library, holding a sheet of paper with the keywords and helping Sierra in analyzing some book. They worked in silence. Right next to them, there was laying Tundra and soon, there came to them Torch and Zealous, carrying some books. They placed themselves next to their fiends and started reading as well. Sierra hissed angrily.

"The antipoison has yet not been discovered." She read silently. It was so annoying to have one and this same sentence in all the books that seemed promising.

"Tell me about it." Tundra muttered, guessing her sister's thoughts.

"How is it going?" Torch asked curiously.

"You'd better be a patient type." Flush suggested.

"Noted." Zealous agreed, as she put behind herself a thin book once she read exactly this same sentence as she had heard from Sierra just a moment earlier. All youngsters sat in silence and continued reading. All the noise that could be heard were the sheets of paper being turned over, sometimes silent, angry hisses. Sometimes, there could be heard sudden shouts of excitements, all the dragons would watch hopefully in one direction only to hear deep sigh of disappointment.

"Hi, everyone." The familiar voice greeted the youngsters. They turned around to see Ñeque and Zap. They laid and started studying some book.

"It's pity that my dad isn't here. He would have some books about wyverns for sure." The ice dragon said sadly. Flush watched him carefully and started thinking. And then, he grinned, stood up and ran to Infernus.

"Where is he going?" Tundra asked.

"He must have some idea." Ñeque guessed. Indeed, the fire breather talked for several seconds to Infernus. Then, the older of fire breathers jumped on the table and called everyone, drowning attention.

"Listen to me for a second." He pleased. "If anyone in your family is a medic or an alchemist, then you could go there and ask them to search through their books, if they could find anything about cure to wyvern venom!" He ordered. There were several voices of dragons who had some medics in families, some dragons left the library. Then, Infernus pointed at five young dragons right next to him. "Go to hospital and ask medics in there to enter the hospital's library to search for venom." He pleased. All the dragons nodded and they left the library as well. Meanwhile Flush ran to his friends.

"Ñeque, go to your father's house, I'll go to my mother." The fire breather said.

"Coming with you, Flush." Zealous declared, as she closed another book. "I'm not really lucky in here."

"I'll go with Ñeque." Zap decided. Then, four other dragons left the library and flew in couples in opposite directions.

Ñeque and Zap opened the door and entered completely dark corridor. The lightning dragon walked several steps and hissed painfully, as he kicked some cupboard accidentally. His friend giggled silently. Zap looked back at him, which Ñeque couldn't notice in completely dark hall. He found a flint and set on fire the torch laying on that cupboard.

"Could you hold it? I don't want to set anything on fire." The ice dragon pleased. Zap nodded and took it. Two males walked upstairs to Sable and Viola's bedroom. There, the ice dragon pointed Zap a metal ring for torch and two of them started examining the books on the shelf. Zap took the one written by Lian.

"Do you think something will be in here? It's an anatomy book." The lightning dragon noticed.

"No, we're looking for poisons." Ñeque refused.

"Right." Zap put it back on the shelf and took another one. "Alchemy. That's much better." He said to himself and opened some not very thick book. Meanwhile, the ice dragon was looking around his parents' room carefully, searching for anything that could appear useful. Two males spent in there already about twenty minutes when Ñeque looked beneath bed.

"Hey, I have something!" He announced. Zap watched there as well and noticed gentle reflex of light.

"What's this?" He wondered.

"No idea. Let's take it out." Ñeque suggested. But it was easier to say than do. The mysterious object was deeply under the bed and they had been trying for a moment already when Zap did it with his tail. They heard a glassy noise, as there rolled a small bottle of red elixir with no description. Both males watched it carefully.

"What is that?" Ñeque asked.

"It looks like blood." Zap noticed. The ice dragon nodded slightly.

"Let's get back to the books." He suggested.

"Wait, I remember such a bottle from somewhere." The lightning dragon focused, trying to recall it. Ñeque watched him carefully. They stood in silence for about a minute. "I've got it!" Zap shouted so rapidly that his friend shuttered.

"So?" The ice dragon watched small bottle curiously.

"It's your father's blood from when he was Vengantimo. It's the antidote to wyverns' venom, as he would say. It saved my father's life six years ago!" Zap explained.

"So, will it save Arriate?" Ñeque asked in joyful disbelief. The lightning dragon nodded.

"Let's go to the hospital and see for ourselves." He suggested. Two youngsters quickly extinguished the torch and left the house, heading straight to the hospital.

The sight of two youngsters running across the corridor of hospital in the very middle of night, one only on three paws, since he was holding a bottle of red liquid, was really rare for the medics. The hospital was most likely very silent place, especially in night. So no one could really blame them for that they watched two males completely aghast, as they called out for Ember. It was hard to find the right room in this great complex when the only source of light were some torches. And then, there appeared before them some old dragon with face expression like nothing could surprise him explained them tersely where to go. Both Ñeque and Zap took flight for that they could get there faster. As they found the right room, they pushed the door, opening it slightly and slipped inside.

"Mrs. Ember, we found an antipoison!" The ice dragon said joyfully. The medic watched him with disbelief, as Zap gave her the bottle of blood.

"What is it?" Ember asked, examining it carefully.

"This is my father's blood from when he was Vengantimo." Ñeque said.

"Yeah, it's cure to wyvern's poison." Zap added. Ember watched the bottle carefully. She had already heard of it, like she knew that if Sable gave his daughter his blood taken from himat this moment, it wouldn't help her since he wasn't invulnerable to this toxin anymore; only the one from before completing mutation could help. Ember opened the bottle slowly. The blood still hadn't thickened for all these years thanks to proper closing it and some special alchemy. The pink dragoness put the bottle on table and started taking the medical leaves off Arriate's chest.

"What are you doing?" Zap asked, concerned.

"The fastest way is to deliver it directly into the blood rotation. Her wounds will be perfect to do it." Ember explained. As she took off the last of medical leaves, she poured the cure gently and then, closed the wound with leaves again, making sure that not even a drip of blood would escape. Then, she started estimating changes in little dragoness's body.

"Did it work?" Ñeque asked, not seeing any change.

"I can't tell yet, we have to wait." Ember explained. Two youngsters nodded and sat down. Both of them watched Arriate with worries.

"We'll stay here until something changes." Zap said. In that moment, Ñeque grasped his sister's paw. He smiled slightly to Arriate.

"Hang on, sister." The ice dragon whispered.

Flush ran into the library. He rushed so much that he slipped on the smooth stony floor and would fall on the ground, if not Sierra who caught him just in time.

"Hey, what's the hurry?" She asked. She knew that the fire breather had just returned from the hospital where he flew to check, if have the dragons in hospital found anything. Flush grinned to her joyfully.

"Everyone, everyone!" He shouted loudly, his voice echoed through whole library. All the dragons turned at him, interrupting their work for a moment. "We found the cure!" He announced. Everyone watched him in silent disbelief for several seconds. And then, they all started shouting joyfully, the sheets with keywords flew into the air, all the dragons started congratulating each other, hugging and laughing, enjoying their success. It wasn't success of just one or two of them. No, it was success of every single dragon who read even just one book and turned just one page. Stella entered the library, watching with disbelief the celebrating crowd. She didn't understand at all what was happening. Why were they so joyful? Then, there ran to her Infernus. He stopped, hugging the guardian.

"We found a cure." He explained. "We did it!" Stella stood aghast.

"You really..." She stuttered.

"Yeah." Infernus grinned. "Everyone says that something's impossible and there appears the one who doesn't know it and succeeds, huh, sweetie?" He noticed, smiling.

Stella sighed deeply and smiled, watching all her companions. It was hard not to smile when she recalled that moment. "I haven't seen such a joy since Spyro defeated Liun. I guess that they have woken up half a city with their celebrations." She turned at Sable. "You know, I still don't understand one thing. How did that antipoison appear under your bed?" She wondered. Sable scratched his head, thinking of any logical explanation. Then, he giggled silently in such a way that no one had doubts that he was Vixen's brother.

"When we were leaving, I was packing in hurry, because we were late and I dropped four bottles with antipoison on the floor. Those rolled under the bed and it looks like I haven't found one." He explained.

"So, for once, it's good that you were late." Ivory noticed.

"Yeah, that's true." Sable agreed. "So, then, you headed to help us." He guessed.

"Yes, at the morning, just several hours later." Tremor confirmed.

"Sable, Viola, Arriate is alive, but..." In Stella's voice, there could be noticed sad hint. "But in this incident, she lost her left eye permanently and the scars of both her body and mind will remain to the end of her life." She said.

"I know. But she lives and it's all that matters. You protected our daughter the best you could." The azure dragoness said, smiling thankfully to the guardian. "We're so thankful to you."

"So now, we're going back home, aren't we?" Candice guessed.

"We need to tell you something." Vixen said and Cynder, sitting next to her, nodded slightly.

"What is it?" Tremor asked curiously.

"When Vixen defeated Clavius, she forced him to tell us everything he knew about his and his brothers' powers and the reasons of this all." Cynder explained. "Vixen?"

"Dad... Douten, I mean... He came to Celeste Tribu years ago, about month before the throne takeover, just a moment after Viola's mother's death. He spoke with Verdad and gave him an offer." The black dragoness sighed deeply. It was hard to speak about it for her, since in the bottom of her heart, she still loved her foster parent.

"Douten offered Verdad a deal. He would give him the elixirs of elements, this same which he later gave Vengantimos. There were elixirs of lightning and ice for his sons and one more, which Clavius didn't know." Cynder continued.

"Oscuro's earth?" Tremor guessed.

"No." Vixen refused. "Oscuro rejected this offer. He had learnt his element on his own in Soleado Valle. He appeared to be really talented."

"So, what is it?"Ivory asked.

"Clavius didn't know. Anyway, in return, Verdad was supposed to make a turnover." Vixen said.

"What would Douten gain in return?" Sable asked.

"Us, brother. Those wyverns were supposed to let us escape alive, so we could join Venganza." The little dragoness explained. "And they've succeeded, haven't they?" She noticed.

"Well, not exactly, Vixen." Cynder disagreed. "Douten promised Verdad that both of you would die before you'd be able to return to Celeste Tribu. He didn't keep this part of the promise."

"And why would it concern Verdad? Sable became dragon and settled down in Warfang. And Vixen quickly fell into their paws. As long as they wouldn't let her out, she wasn't a threat to him." Viola noticed.

"Clavius told us that Verdad still fears that I or Sable would return to Celeste Tribu and regain the throne. Especially Sable." Vixen explained. "It is possible, especially now, because both of us have royal blades and thanks to Douten's elixirs, we could theoretically turn back into wyverns. The second, especially when amateurish, mutation would devastate our bodies, but still, we could do it. And if anyone from Sueño's bloodline would return with royal blades, he could challenge Verdad for duel and become the king." The little dragoness said.

"Bloodline..." Viola wondered. "So those wyverns meant to kill both Arriate and Ñeque." She realized.

"And wyverns needed Douten's alchemy book not for themselves, but only to prevent Sable or Vixen from mutation back into wyverns, in case they managed to escape Celeste Tribu." Tremor noticed.

"So, Verdad's plan was to get rid of whole Sueño's bloodline." Cynder summed up. Sable sighed deeply. He watched his sister carefully. Then, both of them nodded. They made their choice.

"Then we must kill Verdad." The lightning dragon decided. All dragons watched him with disbelief.

"Sable!" Viola watched him with disbelief.

"I thought you..." Stella wanted to argue.

"It's not about revenge, Stella." Sable interrupted her.

"Then what?" The lightning guardian asked.

"Verdad won't give up. We will return to Warfang, but as long as he lives, he'll fear that we may try anything, especially when theoretically, we can get Douten's book in our paws." Vixen explained.

"He will attack our family sooner or later. We can keep running away from his Sombras for the rest of his life or we can kill him." Sable continued. "It's absolutely not about revenge. As long as Verdad lives, he'll endanger me and my whole family. I and Vixen need to kill him for that we could live normally." He explained.

"I'm with you." Viola declared.

"Me too." Ivory agreed. "I'm your captain, after all, I can't leave you behind just like that."

"I'm going as well." Tris said. "We are team, aren't we, Sable?" Dante wanted to argue at first, but he knew that his mate wouldn't give up on it whatever he would say. And besides, he didn't want to leave his friends in need.

"And me." The poet agreed reluctantly.

"Well, if Vixey goes, then I'm not going to stand and watch." Zheek decided.

"Zheek..." Farady sighed deeply. "The little brother is in, I not really have a choice, do I?" She noticed.

"Do you think you can do it?" Sable asked doubtfully watching her wing.

"We won't attack just like that, we'll spend here some time more before it, you'll have time to heal me. I know that I still will be unable to fly, but firstly, we'll fight in caves and secondly, we'll move in group, so if we need to take in the air, I can be carried. I'm light." The free dragoness argued. Zheek smiled to her.

"Welcome abroad, sister!" He greeted her. Then, all the eight turned at three guardians and Cynder.

"I know in what situation I put you." Sable started. "I won't hide that I'd appreciate your help, but if you attack with us, it will mean your official support to this all. I'm not forcing you to stand by me. If you want, you can even force us to get back to Warfang. The choice is yours." The lightning dragon said.

"Our mission was to save you and clarify the situation." Candice noticed. "We did it, so the mission is over. Still, we can't attack wyverns just like that, with no reason, because it could cause war."

"But..." Tremor grinned, realizing what his mate suggested. "We have a reason. We do it to protect the dragons, Sable and Vixen's family, that is. And it's our duty to protect dragons, if threatened like now." The earth guardian noticed.

"If we kill Verdad, whoever takes the charge in Celeste Tribu, won't attack dragons. Not after this battle when twelve of us faced so many enemies at once." Stella continued. She knew that they were terribly lucky, used all the advantages they could and the most of them were excellent fighters, but still, it must have broken wyverns' morale.

"So, we will help you. Verdad is dangerous not only to you, but all dragons." Cynder summed up. "We just need to come up with a plan."

"You know, I think that Spyro and Flame will be mad at us once we return." Tremor noticed.

"Do you think they wouldn't approve it?" Viola asked.

"No, they would." The guardian disagreed. "But they're about to miss whole the fun." He explained and everyone laughed.

"So, it's decided. We will kill Verdad." Vixen said with hint of excitement. Sable nodded. He wasn't surprised about her feelings. Several weeks ago they were bowing before the murderer of their parents. And now, after all those years... they could finally kill him. They didn't make this choice because of personal reasons, but still, those were very important to them.

"Yes. We will." The lightning dragon sealed their fate.


	50. Chapter 49

Chapter 49. "About the dragon cities"

Luna was sitting at some stone next to the main entrance to Celeste Tribu, finally repaired after dragons' escape. She was awaiting there for her mate. Since the battle, there passed no more than a day and the wyverness already knew that the dragons managed to break army's morale and flee, one of royal messengers mentioned something about dragon guardians' coming. The wyverness was a bunch of nerves, awaiting for her mate impatiently. She kept blaming herself in her mind for not stopping her mate from leaving safe city to lead an attack on those dragons. Before her, leaning against trees and conversing, there were her two personal guards. Even if they seemed to ignore her, they kept watching her. It was their job, after all. Luna hung her head sadly and sighed. Then, she laid on the grass and started watching the sky. It was already the midday. So she had spent there at least several hours already. Her daughter was being looked around so she didn't worry at her at all, only about her mate. And then, there could be heard some noises. Luna raised her head and looked around.

"What's this?" She asked the guards.

"The army is returning!" One of soldiers explained. "I can see Principe Oscuro!" Hearing that, the wyverness stood up and jumped in the air, flying to the source of noise. She had to see her mate right away. The princess flew above the head of army, where she noticed him. Oscuro was walking slowly. On his back, except his sword, she noticed Lanzador and another, green blade, which she recognized as Cobro's one. At her mate's chest, there were some medical leaves, which meant that he must have taken a blow. The wyverness rapidly dove to her mate.

"Oscuro!" She called and then, she fell into her mate's grasp. They hugged each other lovingly and Luna kissed her beloved. "Oscuro." She repeated.

"I'm back." The prince smiled slightly.

"Oh, you have no idea how scared about you I was." The wyverness confessed. "The messengers told me that you were wounded, but refused to give any details, I've heard that you've lost and..." Oscuro interrupted her, kissing her lips.

"I'm fine. And the dragons escaped us." He assured her.

"What happened?" The princess asked.

"Clavius and Cobro are dead. Dragons killed them. That broke army's morale. And then, there appeared three dragon guardians and Cynder herself." The prince explained. "Maybe we still could have killed those dragons, but I didn't want to sacrifice so many lives more for those dragons." He said. The couple, surrounded by army, walked into Celeste Tribu.

"Let's go to our home. Araceli is missing you." Luna suggested. The prince nodded.

"Yes, I'll have rest and then go to father." He agreed. "He's in Throne Hall, as I guess?"

"Yes, he is." Luna confirmed. Oscuro ordered something one of generals and he and his mate turned, leaving the wide corridors and whole army behind. They headed to their home.

"I've met so-called Viento de la Muerto." He explained, smiling ironically.

"Who is he?" Luna wondered.

"Rather they. Those are brother and sister. They're feral dragons, not older than twenty years old. Such a youngsters caused us so many problems." The prince sighed deeply. "I hope you remember an incident with feral dragons on the southern border?"

"Yes, I do. Why do you ask?" Luna watched her mate curiously.

"They're children of that couple I've killed." Oscuro explained.

"Are they strong?" The wyverness asked.

"No, they're weaklings. They have potential, but still, they're weaklings. I can hardly believe that they've managed to live here killing my soldiers for so long." The prince refused.

"So, are they dead?" Luna asked with hint of hope. She would love the dragons hunting her mate to be dead.

"Not." Oscuro refused.

"You've shown them mercy." The wyverness guessed, surprised.

"Not." The prince disagreed. "Those dishonorable youngsters have more luck than skill. The dragon guardian of earth saved them. He's the one who slashed me." He explained.

"So they're still alive." Luna said with disappointment.

"Yes, but I doubt, if will they be threat to me. That dragoness won't be able to fight normally for long time. She didn't leave the battle unharmed. And now, if they decide to remain in the forest, I'll simply hunt them down. There will be no mercy." He promised.

"How many wyverns have they killed for all these years?" Luna asked.

"Many. But now, I'll spread the news that this Viento de la Muerto is just one great lie. If they decide to stay here, they won't survive even a month." The couple walked in silence for several minutes more. Then, they reached their apartment and entered it. There, Oscuro was greeted joyfully by running to him little wyverness.

"Daddy!" Araceli jumped to her father and Oscuro caught her in the midair and hugged lovingly.

"Oh, there you are, my little princess." He said. "So, did you miss me?" The hatchling nodded and nuzzled her father. Oscuro giggled joyfully and wanted to say something, when all three of them heard knocking at the door. "Come in." He ordered. The door opened and there appeared some wyvern with characteristic for royal messengers armor. He bowed deeply.

"Principe Oscuro, Verdad, Señor de la Celeste Tribu expects to see you in Throne Hall immediately." The messenger said.

"Fine, I'm going." The wyvern bowed and left. Oscuro sighed deeply and kissed both females. "I'll be back soon." He promised. The wyvern left his apartment and headed to Throne Hall. The walk took him about twenty minutes. He didn't hurry, but wanted to think everything through, not to be surprised by his father. He didn't know how would he react on the news. After all, he still didn't know about death of two of his sons. Oscuro stood before the gate to Throne Hall. He took deep breath and entered. There was no one except his father. He looked very tired, Oscuro could swear that since his leaving, his father had got on at least ten years. The prince stood about ten meters before his father and bowed deeply.

"Father, you've called me." Oscuro said silently. Then, he took off scabbards of Clavius's Lanzador and his original weapon, ornamented knife and Cobro's green sword. He put those gently on the ground before himself. This gesture explained to the king everything. In his eye, there appeared a tear.

"How did they die?" Verdad asked after a moment of silence.

"We surrounded dragons. Clavius attacked Vixen and threw her out of the circle. She started escaping and Clavius followed her. Sable flew for help to her and Cobro attacked him. There were two duels, but then, Cynder appeared to help Vixen and her brother was supported by Stella, the dragon guardian of lightning. Still, neither of them really interfered. They died killed by Sable and Vixen personally." The prince explained tersely.

"Personally by Sueño's children?" Verdad asked and Oscuro bobbed his head slightly. The king sighed deeply and stood up. "So be it." He stood up and stepped before his son. He grasped the scabbard of purple swords and watched those carefully. "Lanzador." He whispered. "I will take this sword and I will kill those brats with it." He promised.

"Father..." Oscuro wanted to argue.

"Cobro and Clavius will be buried tomorrow, the mourn in whole city will last for next three weeks." Verdad didn't cry. He suffered in the bottom of his heart, but he let no tear. "Dragons want to have war? They will have it."

"What do you plan, father?" Oscuro asked, seriously concerned.

"After the mourn, you will lead a group of Sombras. The best ones you find. You mission will be to kidnap two of the dragon guardians and, if possible, kill Sable's family. Not those two brats personally, but the ones precious to them."

"It will cause war." The wyvern noticed. "Why would we need the guardian?"

"Firstly, to crush their morale. Secondly, I will exchange those guardians." Verdad explained.

"What do you expect instead?" Oscuro asked with worries.

"Sable and Vixen." Verdad grinned ominously. "I will exchange life of two of the guardians for those two Sueño's brats." He explained.

"I can hardly believe..." Oscuro tried to refuse.

"I'm leaving the mission of gathering the group of Sombras and kidnapping the guardians. And tell them to use paralyzing poison, we shouldn't take unnecessary risk. Understood?"

"Father, do you realize that dragons will declare war, if we do this? They're already mad at us for those incidents in Warfang." The wyvern noticed.

"The guardians are reasonable and so are Sable and Vixen. They will agree to those terms without making any trouble. The only trouble is capturing those guardians. I can even give two of Sombras Lanzador, in the case they had to fight any dragons." Verdad ordered. "They will hate us, but they won't cause the war." Oscuro watched his father carefully. It sounded reasonable. Dragons were peaceful race and they would rather sacrifice two lives than cause war.

"I understand, father." The prince bowed. He knew that it wouldn't be easy operation, he had to plan it very carefully. "Can I do anything else for you?" He asked.

"No, that's all. You are dismissed and tell the guards not to let anyone else inside until I change my mind." He ordered.

"Of course." Oscuro turned around and left. The gates closed behind him. And then, hundreds of questions appeared in his head. "Dear ancestors, so we're really attacking the dragons? And I really believed that Sable's coming would bring the peace. I was so naïve!" He kicked some stone angrily. "I only hope father is right about this war possibility. It would be hard war for us." And then, he started thinking coldly. "So, I need to kidnap two guardians: Tremor and Candice would be obvious target since they live in this same house. I could just sneak into their house in the night and poison them. Then, I'd simply take them out of the dragon lands the fastest I can. No threats, no ambushes which could fail. I just need... Wait a moment. Wouldn't it be much simpler to kidnap Sable and Vixen? I could..." The prince stopped. "Dear ancestors, he doesn't need the guardians to get Sable and Vixen. He wants something else!" He realized. So his father lied him. "But what? He doesn't need a dragon, I could kidnap any other. An execution of the guardian would give him no real profit. Father wants something else. Something that can't be carried by a group of wyverns, something both big and important. And we would have to be able to keep it in our paws, something that can be protected." Oscuro's eyes grew wide. He knew what was it. His eyes grew wide. He knew what was it. He cursed silently. Then, he noticed the royal messenger running next to him. He caught his paw. The messenger tried to slip out, but Oscuro pressed him to the wall.

"Stop." He ordered. The wyvern stopped and bowed, realizing who was standing before him.

"My apologize, Principe Oscuro." He said. "What do you need?" The messengers knew the rules. They could have a message to some noble, but if prince asked them to do something else, they simply couldn't refuse.

" In the eastern section, at level twenty-third, there lives a wyvern Turok. Send him to the Core and tell him to wait at eleventh level, I'll find him there." He ordered. The messenger nodded and continued running. Oscuro sighed deeply and went to eleventh level of Core. He sat down on one of the stone ledges and started looking around. He was looking around nervously, he was in hurry. He didn't wait long, he didn't even notice when some a little older than him wyvern landed. He was one of the best of his spies.

"My prince." Turok bowed gently.

"Has Leal used her secret exit this morning after the coming of the royal messenger with news about battle?" Oscuro asked. The wyvern wondered for a second.

"Yes, she has, an hour after sunrise. An hour later, sje used it again to return to her chambers." Turok agreed.

"Thanks, go home. That's all I needed to know." Oscuro stood up and took flight. He headed straight to Leal's house. Oh, he would have serious talking with her.

In next five minutes, he stood before the apartment of that princess, after a second of waiting, he was let in. Leal smiled to him slightly. She was in surprisingly good as for someone who had just lost mate, as he noticed.

"Please, sit down." The princess suggested and both of them did it. "So, what brings you here?" She asked curiously.

"I would love to say triumph, but as I see, you're not giving up so easily." Oscuro said.

"What do you mean?" Leal watched him curiously.

"You paid my father a visit today. And you suggested him another attack on dragons." The prince explained. The wyverness nodded.

"Which is?" She asked.

"You want to kidnap two guardians to exchange them for something valuable."

"Yes, Sable and Vixen." Leal confirmed.

"No, if you wanted them, you could kidnap them just like that. It'd be much easier than guardians. And you need two guardians because you want something much bigger and more important than Sable or Vixen, whom you persuaded Verdad not to kill, if they manage to escape. You want something bigger even than guardians themselves." Oscuro explained. Leal watched him with admiration. She didn't expect him to figure it out. She nodded, wanting to hear what would he guess. "So, I have a dilemma: is it Warfang, or Teria? Those are the only two cities that we would be able to defend, if dragons tried to get it back." Leal cackled in reaction.

"Oh, clever person you are, Oscuro. I prefer Teria, it's easier to keep it and it's smaller, so it will be easier to purchase it. I suggested Verdad to lie you a little, so that you wouldn't oppose too much. But you figured me out." She clapped slowly. "So, what now?"

"Dragons won't agree to do this. You know it. They will never exchange one or two dragons for whole city. Definitely not Teria." Oscuro warned her. Leal just shrugged.

"Maybe they won't, but maybe they will. I believe they will. I know that you won't fail your father, so we practically have those two guardians in our paws. The only trick will be to sell them for a price that will satisfy us." She smiled. "It can be the beginning of conquering dragons. Step by step, city by city."

"One step too far and they will crush us. Don't forget that even if other wyvern kingdoms might not be in good relations with dragons, they can still stab us in back for their own profit." Oscuro noticed. "Your plan is very ambitious, not to say impossible."

"You exaggerate." Leal belittled his words. "And fear not, I have already planned everything."

"So, you gave up on Sable?" The prince noticed with disbelief, changing the subject.

"Not exactly, but Verdad is currently mad at dragons. I need to use the situation, it would be such a waste to ignore this opportunity. And Sable can wait. We have time."

"Use the situation, you say." Oscuro sighed deeply. "And for a moment I believed that you would lose your influence after Cobro's death." The prince stood up. "I believe that I've heard all that I wanted to hear. Goodbye." He turned around and headed to the exit. He left the apartment quickly. "The dragon city." He said to himself. "I can already imagine whole this mess which will start after the mourn." He snorted angrily. "Three weeks, that's quite enough to gather the team that will possibly be able to capture the guardians." Oscuro felt that his heart was pounding. No one ever had kidnapped both guardians at this same moment, even Cynder would catch them one by one. "Such a mission... If I fail, I'm dead. And if I not, oh there begins the real mess." He said to himself and hissed angrily. And in his naivety, Oscuro believed that the lost battle was the end of this conflict. The worst thing was that his honor, his loyalty to father told him to do it. It was his duty, after all, whether he liked it or not. The prince from the bottom of his heart didn't want to know how this all would end up.

Farady squeaked painfully and involuntarily released herself from Ivory's grasp, as the medic bent her left wing a little too far. "Ouch" The lightning dragoness said with painful hint.

"Sorry, my fault." The white dragoness apologized and caught her wing again. She bent it much slower and more carefully this time. She noticed that it was very hard for the free dragoness just to lay down and loosen her muscles, so Ivory could check her wing's state precisely. "You're not used to having a medic's control, are you?" She guessed. Farady smiled slightly hearing that.

"That's the second time in my life." She explained herself.

"The second? And where was the first one?" Ivory wondered.

"In Teria, years ago, when your mate saved me and Zheek." She said. "We spent in there about a month. What a great city, isn't it?" She noticed.

"And still, there are even bigger ones." Ivory added.

"Like Warfang."

"Like Warfang." The medic confirmed. She watched the free dragoness with worries, since she seemed to be seriously bothered by something. "What's wrong?"

"I'll most likely settle down in Warfang once we're done here. Zheek plans so and I need to look after him. But this thought scares me. I think that I'll be lost in there like a hatchling in dense mist." She explained. Ivory nodded with understanding.

"I was lost there at first too." The medic confessed and the another dragoness watched her with disbelief. "I guess everyone was in the start, more or less. But with time, you'll find your place in there." Ivory assured her.

"Why have you left your home city?" Farady asked.

"When Flush died, every place in there kept reminding me about him. I've never meant to forget, but those memories were so intensive and painful that I felt like I was losing my mind. I most likely was. Sometimes, I visit Teria with my son to see the family and Flush's grave and after six years, every time when I come there, I get terribly melancholic. I will never forget about my mate, but I either can't let my broken heart consume me when there are people around who need me." Ivory explained. Then, she sighed deeply. "Whoa, that was deep of me. Back to here and now, you won't be able to fly for next month."

"Whole month? I heard that when Vixen had her wings broken, it took you only two weeks." Farady noticed with disappointment.

"Yes, but she had broken endings of the thin bones of her wing in such a way that theoretically, she could fly, but it would give her terrible pain. In your situation, I need to heal much thicker bone, which will take longer." Ivory explained. "So, you're free now. Don't forget to come to me at the evening." She said. Farady, happy to hear that, stood up quickly, thanked the medic and left the cave only to fall on Tremor.

"Oh, sorry." The guardian, who didn't notice her at all, apologized.

"Never mind." Farady smiled. "Could we have a walk? I need to talk with you." She pleased. She really liked the earth guardian and it wasn't only because he, like other guardians and Cynder, told her and Zheek to call him by name. For unknown to her reason she really liked all the earth dragons.

"Sure." Tremor agreed and they started walking slowly. "What's on your mind?

"I need to ask you for a favor." Farady said.

"Which is?"

"You need to teach me how to fight in close distance." The dragoness clarified. "I'm good with my lightning already, but I don't stand a chance in serious melee fight." She said and Tremor watched her carefully.

"You want me to do it because you plan to face Oscuro again, don't you?" He guessed. Farady hung her head sadly. "I will not help you in vengeance, I thought I've made that clear."

"It's about Oscuro, but that's not what I mean." Farady took deep breath, as if she was about to confess something that she'd rather keep for herself. Indeed, she was. "Back then, when we fought Oscuro, I could do nothing. I was completely helpless. All I could do was watching him killing my brother, the only family I have. I can't let this happen again. I need to be stronger, so I could protect Zheek." She explained. It was hard for her to admit her weakness. Tremor watched her carefully and smiled slightly. But it wasn't smile of joy, but understanding. He thought of Gaia and her death in the eastern city.

"We have only two weeks until our planned attack, so you'd better prepare for intensive training. It's not long enough to teach you everything I know, but I'll give my best to fill the gaps in your technique." The guardian promised. Farady smiled and nuzzled him thankfully.

"Thanks, Tremor. You know, if all the dragons in Warfang are like you, then I'll love this city." She said half-jokingly. Tremor smiled slightly.

"Well, maybe not all, some can be terrible pain in the tail, in fact, but I'm sure that you'll love Warfang anyway." Tremor assured. The lightning dragoness smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I guess so." She agreed dishonestly. She didn't admit that, but thought of coming to Warfang was so... frightening to her.


	51. Chapter 50

Chapter 50. "Hatchlings"

At the evening, Farady left the cave where dragons were sleeping for next two or three days and saw that around the bonfire, there were laying several dragons. Zheek was between Vixen and Tremor, next to whose was Candice. At other Vixen's side Cynder placed herself. If not the major difference in age of those two black dragoness, Farady would never recognize who was who just watching their backs in weak light of fire and moon. The free dragoness slipped between the earth guardian and her brother and sat there. She realized that Zheek was about to tell them something.

"So, what's the gathering about?" She asked.

"I wanted to tell everyone the story about our parents, Oscuro and Flush." The fire breather explained. He turned around to see Ivory, standing in the entrance to the cave. "Hey, come Ivory, I believe you'd like to hear this story as well." He encouraged her. The white dragoness nodded slightly and sat next to Candice.

"How about we call the others too? If you don't mind, of course." Tremor suggested.

"There's no problem." Farady assured. "So, where are Dante and Tris?" She wondered.

"Sleeping already." Sable, who appeared behind them from nowhere, explained. All dragons turned around to see Stella and Viola with him.

"Will you join us, bro?" Vixen suggested.

"Well, we said that we would attack in two weeks, but it doesn't mean we'll plan it on the last day, don't you think?" Stella noticed. "Tremor, Candice, will you help us?" She asked.

"Come, sit here and we'll help you a little, listen a little, you know, mix pleasure with duty." Cynder suggested. She gave Stella this cute, begging sight, so similar to Vixen's one. That little black dragoness must have taught her that, as the guardian realized. And the worst thing was that it worked not so bad. Stella sighed.

"Fine." Three dragons joined the circle and Viola took her notes, including simplified plans of Celeste Tribu. They started talking silently. "If we talk too loudly, admonish us." Stella suggested. Farady nodded slightly.

"So, when did you meet Flush?" Vixen asked curiously, as she poked Zheek's shoulder.

"It was... eleven years ago. I was just seven and Farady was eight and I was seven. Blissful childhood, wasn't it?" The fire breather noticed.

"Blissful? I think you've picked the wrong story." Farady noticed, watching her brother carefully. Zheek just smiled bitterly.

"I know I have." He agreed. After all, he couldn't disagree.

Eleven years earlier

"Hey, wait for me!" Zheek called out his older sister who had already left him behind for quite a distance. Young lightning dragoness burst out with joyous laugh.

"And why should I, moron?" Farady turned around and asked.

"Dad told you not to call me like that!" The fire breather shouted angrily. "I'll tell parents!"

"Oh, and they'll believe you, moron!" The lightning dragoness grinned insolently. Zheek watched her angrily and started accelerating. In a minute, he lined up with her.

"If I'll be first, they'll believe me!" He argued.

"You won't be first." Farady noticed. Zheek felt challenged and he sped up. Or at least he meant to, because in that moment, the ending of his wing hit some tree. He only scratched it, but it was enough for the hatchling to lose balance and fall down. He rolled for several meters across the ground and Farady giggled silently. Then, she watched her brother with worries. She heard silent cry. The lightning dragoness sighed deeply and turned back. She flew back to her brother and landed behind him, crying silently.

"Where did you hit it?" She asked. Zheek, still crying, straightened his wing pointing the hurting place. Farady watched it carefully and kissed it gently, as her mother would always do. She never understood why it worked, but it did. "No worries, it's not broken." She assured.

"Isn't it?" The fire breather asked.

"No, moron." She confirmed.

"I told you not to call me like that!" Zheek shouted at her. His sister only shrugged.

"Whatever. So, let's..." And then, both hatchlings heard silent wolf snarl. Both of them rapidly fell silent and laid deeply in high grass. Their parents would be proud of them, seeing how quickly they did it. They were hatchlings, but those forests weren't safe ones and they had to remember it. Farady closed her eyes, as she heard enclosing steps. She said in her mind some very ugly word that she didn't really understand, but her father would always say it when a deer would escape him. Yeah, it fitted her feelings perfectly. She repeated it, still in the mind. She felt a little better. But only a little. In this same moment, Zheek was wondering how it was possible that his heart was this loud. He knew that Farady would call him moron again, if he told it her, but he felt as if his heart was hammering so strongly that this wolf could hear him. He really wanted to stand up and start flying away or climb on some tree. But wolf could run faster than he'd fly. Why didn't he climb on it a tree in that case? Right, firstly, he still wasn't really good flyer yet. Secondly, wolves could jump pretty high, start shaking a tree at which he would hide. Those were pretty thin so it wouldn't be very hard for an adult wolf to throw them down. And now, it was too late for any of these options. Maybe he'd pass by them? Maybe he didn't hear them?

"There you are." Both youngsters felt creeps across their bodies, as they heard male, harsh voice. They both saw some old, grey wolf, all over covered in blood of fresh wounds. He grinned in a sinister way, so terrifying that it would haunt Farady probably for the rest of her life. Really short one, as she realized. Both youngsters released the elements from their jaws and jumped away. Wolf snarled, as both of those stroke his torso, hurting him not seriously, but painfully. He jumped high in the air after escaping dragons. Farady felt her tail being grasped and she didn't even realize when she was slammed against the ground with breathtaking speed.

"Farady!" Zheek shouted, terrified and he did the most stupid thing he only could. He dove to wolf, charging the fire.

"Flee, you mo..." The lightning dragoness tried to warn him and the wolf swung his paw, about to slash little fire breather wide open with his talons. And then, he flew, spinning. Zheek fell at somebody. To his surprise, not a wolf, but wall of red scales smelling with unpleasant stench of blood. He fell on the ground next to Farady and both youngsters watched a dead wolf and then, their savior. It was some red dragon, not old one, but only about twenty years old. He was all over covered in blood, his limbs were shaking, trying to keep his body still. There could be heard angry snarls around them. The fire breather grinned ominously with such a confidence, as if he was leading whole dragon army against single wolf squad.

"I am not dead, canines. Not yet." He assured. Some wolf attacked. The dragon slashed and canine fell on the ground behind youngsters already dead. The other one attacked, but he squeaked painfully and fell on the ground, as stream of intensive fire covered him. Then, the third wolf jumped to his side and knocked him over and his jaws closed on dragon's neck. Well, they almost close, because dragon managed to catch those with his paws in the very last moment and they fell on the ground, forcing. The fire breather hissed angrily, his exhausted body already losing this fight. But then both hatchlings jumped to wolf and slashed his back. The canine focused on new attackers forgetting about the real danger for a second, which was just enough for the fire breather to release himself and kick the wolf away, sending at him a fireball, which killed him instantly. The red dragon fell on the ground.

"Hey, are you alright?" Zheek asked their savior with worries. The fire breather smiled ironically.

"That's rather obvious I'm not, don't you think?" He noticed. He stood up slowly. He looked miserably, as if he'd collapse any second. His neck was all covered in his blood. Just a second longer of that wolf's grasp and he'd be dead. "Did they hurt you?" He asked.

"No." Farady refused. "We need to take you to our parents. And your name is…"

"Flush. I'm detective." The fire breather introduced himself. The youngsters started leading the way for the detective. "I'll need a medic urgently." He noticed, just in the case youngsters didn't realize it, which was doubtful.

"Our mum is herbalist. She'll help you." The lightning dragoness assured.

"That's good." Flush smiled weakly. His scales were already disturbingly pale. "So, what are your names?" He watched them curiously.

"I'm Farady." The lightning dragoness introduced herself.

"I am Keezheekoni." The fire breather said quickly as always, lisping a little. Flush watched him carefully.

"Kee... what?" He asked. Farady giggled.

"Call him moron, it fits him pretty well." She suggested.

"Hey, I'm not a moron!" Zheek refused.

"Don't call him like that." Flush admonished young dragoness. "He's your brother and he wanted to help you." He noticed.

"And die achieving nothing. Have you forgotten what parents told us?" Farady turned at her brother. "The forest is not a place for heroes, Keezheekoni." She said this name slowly.

"Call me Zheek." Young fire breather suggested his savior. Flush smiled cheerfully.

"Yeah, that's much easier." He noticed. "Farady, did you say that forest is not a place for heroes?" He asked with disbelief.

"It's not." The lightning dragoness confirmed. "If my brother is caught by them, he's supposed to buy me the most of time and I should escape. If we don't follow this rule, both of us will die and if we do, one still has a chance." She explained, watching her brother carefully.

"That's idiotic." Flush disagreed. "If you haven't helped me that wolf would kill both me and you."

"But..." Farady tried to argue.

"That's what your two did and that's the only reason why we're alive." The detective interrupted her. He sighed deeply. "I know that sometimes, you need to sacrifice someone, but don't make such a choice too lightly." He admonished her. "After all, his your brother."

"The only one." Zheek added.

"So what? He's just ball and chain to me." The lightning dragoness belittled it.

"So I'll let you die next time." Her brother promised in his childish anger.

"Yeah, me too." Farady agreed.

"Hey, how can you tell each other such things?!" Flush shouted at them angrily. Then, he sighed deeply. "I had a brother once." He said.

"Once?" Farady jerked her head curiously. "What happened to him?"

"He was murdered. Brutally murdered. Beaten to death. A month ago." Flush explained.

"Wolf?" Zheek wondered.

"Ape?" Farady guessed.

"A dragon. An ice dragon. Kryo, his name." Both youngsters watched him in disbelief. "It was a heart matter, my brother protected his girlfriend, Alice, from her ex. The ex used ice, aimed at her, but Azrael protected her. He took a blow at the leg, but before he managed to do anything more, there came another, in this same leg. The dragoness screamed, Azrael told her to run. He fell on the ground, Kryo attacked him. Alice tried to shoot him, but her lightning missed. Kryo shot an ice spike again. This time at her. He meant to kill her, but Azrael brought him to the ground. He missed, it ricocheted from the wall and hit her head, but only knocking her out. When she woke up, Azrael was already dead." In Flush's eye appeared a tear. "He played a hero and he saved someone who he loved. So never say that playing hero is idiotic. Never say that you'd let your brother or sister die." He hissed angrily. "You're the family. You can do to each other anything, be mean or malicious, but you must be ready to protect your family with your own life. Understood?" Both youngsters hung their heads shamefully and muttered the agreement. Three dragons walked in awkward silence for some time, until they came to familiar cave.

"Mom! Dad! Come quickly!" Farady called. Soon, there appeared two dragons: The male was red, slim, handsome in very strict, harsh way, his sight looked very confident. The yellow female was much gentler, she looked very subtle, and had beautifully shiny scales except the brown ones on the belly. Farady definitely took an appearance after her mother. Which intrigued Flush was that neither of them had such a specific horns as Zheek.

"Kids, what happened?" The father asked.

"He needs help!" Farady said, pointing at Flush.

"Oh, that's obvious." Her mother noticed. She wanted to ask the detective to lay down, but he fell on the ground and lost consciousness.

Flush woke up at the evening. He was laying on the grass, sunlight had warmed his belly pleasantly. Next to him, there could be heard bonfire burning. He felt that the most of his body and neck was covered in some medical leaves. Before him, there was sitting the lightning dragoness, siblings' mother. She, like her mate, was about thirty years old. Only ten years older than Flush and already mother of two hatchlings, in fact.

"You woke up." The lightning dragoness smiled slightly. Flush glared deeply into her beautiful, gold eyes. Yeah, Farady would become beautiful dragoness one day, just like her mother.

"Noticed." He was not sure what to say.

"What's your name?" The dragoness asked.

"I'm Flush, a detective." He introduced himself. "May I ask about yours?"

"San, a herbalist." She answered in this same way as Flush.

"And I am Yonkaton." Siblings' father stood next to his mate. "You saved our children." Flush smiled slightly.

"Looks like." He admitted reluctantly. "I guess I'll stay here for a while, won't I?" The detective guessed.

"I hope you're not hurrying anywhere, because you're not in a state to leave just like that." San said, watching the city dragon carefully.

"No, no. I have time." Flush assured. "In fact, I'd love to spend here, far from civilization, a week or two." He smiled slightly. His brother's death still hurt him. He needed to reach peace of mind.

"You can sit, if it will be more comfortable." San suggested, The detective nodded and stood up. And then, from nowhere, there appeared kids. They leaned against the detective and Flush just hissed painfully, since they not really cared about his wounds.

"Hey, be careful about him! Come to me, kids." The father ordered. Both youngsters hung their heads sadly and laid in their parents' legs. The dragons started talking and soon, both youngsters fell asleep, or at least them pretended so.

"Are you sure that you don't want anything to eat?" San asked, watched the detective skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Flush assured. "Could you just give me that apple?" He asked, pointing at the branch of an apple tree growing right above her head. She nodded, took it and threw to the detective. He bit it, enjoying sweat taste.

"Don't you want any meat?" Yonkaton wondered, surprised as well. Flush chuckled.

"I love fruits. I guess it's my weirdness amongst the dragon kind, isn't it?" The detective asked. Both mates nodded, agreeing.

"So, what brings you here?" San asked curiously.

"I think I'm escaping." Flush explained. "Kids have already mentioned you about my brother, haven't they?" He guessed.

"That's a sad story." The fire breather said. His mate nodded slightly agreeing. "So, you left your city forever or you need to only clear your mind?"

"I still don't know. I guess Ivory's already bunch of worries about me, not without a reason, after all, but still, I don't know if I'm returning soon." Flush shrugged.

"Ivory? Your mate?" San guessed.

"What? No, no." The detective refused quickly and flushed. "She's... a friend. Close one. Good friend. She keeps overreacting whenever I leave Teria." It sounded like Flush was not really sure about it for himself. "Isn't it dangerous to live here? It's wyvern territory, after all." He changed a subject.

"No, it's not. Wyverns don't care about us and neither do we about them. And wolves practically never appear here." San explained.

"How is it to raise children far from the cities, only on your own?" Flush wondered. The couple smiled slightly and the fire breather nuzzled the dragoness.

"It's not as easy as in the city, I guess, but we love them." San said.

"This life is different than yours, maybe harder, but we like it." Yonkaton explained.

"I see. In some aspects, it's much easier than in cities, don't you think?" He noticed.

"Yes, it is." The fire breather agreed.

"But don't you feel lonely a little?" Flush wondered.

"No, we know where other free dragons live and we sometimes visit them. We're good friends with some families around." San said. "This far at north there are only we, the others live at south, so it takes time to get there, but still, we do so sometimes." And so, the dragons were sharing experience about way of living in cities and beyond those. No one even noticed, when the night passed.

Two weeks passed. By this time Flush had been almost completely healed, there was no more need for any of San's herbs or medical leaves. It was about the midday when she stated that her treatment to him was done.

"So, are you going home, Mr. Flush?" Farady asked sadly.

"No, I'll stay with you for some time more." The detective decided. In those two weeks, he lived like a free dragon, he learnt how to survive in the forest, what fruits were poisonous, how to hunt and where to find water in case of long journeys. He had to admit that living in forests wasn't so bad and the dragons dwelling there had right to be called free, not feral. "I will go for hunting." The fire breather decided. "Can I take kids?" He asked the parents.

"Yes, teach them a little." Yonkaton agreed without doubts.

"Yay!" Both youngsters grinned, and shouted cheerfully, leaving no doubts, if they wanted to go with him. Three dragons quickly disappeared in the forest. San sighed deeply, watching her youngsters.

"Something's wrong?" Her mate asked.

"No. I think it's not, at least."

Flush and the kids returned at the evening, all three of them were laughing and the detective was carrying small deer hunted by kids, as it could be guessed, looking at the bloody, irregular lines at its side made by someone who still was learning. Flush greeted the parents and put the prey on the ground. He laid on the ground, tired. After all, it wasn't easy to make sure that two kids would hunt a deer. Farady and Zheek ran o their parents and started telling with excited voices how funny it was. San and Yonkaton were listening to their kids, absorbed with their story, when Flush heard something. He raised his head and looked around. The other fire breather realized that something was wrong.

"Your friends, Flush?" The free dragon asked hopefully.

"If those were, they wouldn't be sneaking to us in such a way that wind wouldn't bring their scent to us." The detective shook his head. All three adults stood up, Zheek and Farady hid behind their parents.

"So you've noticed us." They heard disappointed, hissing a little voice. Flush easily recognized this accent. He already had bad experience with it.

"Show yourselves, wyverns." He ordered. From the forest, there started appearing wyverns. There were many of them, at least several dozen. In their lead, there was standing their boss, wearing on his back big sword. So he was a prince.

"Who are you? What do you want?" San asked. She wasn't scared, but concerned. Or at least, she sounded so.

"My name is Oscuro, hijo del Ver..."

"Spare me that long title, Oscuro." Yonkaton interrupted him in half of word. "What do you want?"

"Those are wyvern lands. Dragons aren't welcome here." The prince said.

"We've lived here, in this cave, for nine years already and no wyvern ever had anything against it." San noticed. "Why should you now?"

"The times are changing dragons. Two years ago, Verdad, Señor de la..."

"Skip it." Yonkaton suggested. Oscuro watched him hatefully. "What did he say?"

"He ordered all dragons living on those lands to leave it within two years under penalty of death. The other dragons did it, but not you." Oscuro finished.

"Firstly, we would consider it, if we only heard about it." San noticed.

"Secondly, you cannot banish the ones who aren't wyverns. You have no right to do it." Her mate continued.

"I do, those lands belong to my father and we're free to do whatever we want. And as we said, the dragons who remain on this lands are supposed to be killed." Oscuro explained.

"We won't persuade him. And we can neither fight. They suppressed us." Flush whispered to the couple. "We'd better just get out of here peacefully while we can."

"They won't let us go. He rather sounds like he seeks our blood." San noticed skeptically. They cared about their home, but found no point in dying for some cave.

"So let's ask nicely." The detective suggested. Both mates bobbed their heads.

"Fine, we will leave right now." Yonkaton agreed. "Just let us take our stuff and you will never see us again." He pleased.

"No." The wyvern refused firmly. "You are not going anywhere. The order is to kill you." Oscuro said. He didn't like it, but it was an order. A matter of honor. Or maybe… maybe he was just wanted to take his revenge for being belittled? The free fire breather cursed silently.

"So you'll kill an innocent family just like that, because you were ordered?" He asked with disbelief.

"Please show some kindness, after all ignorance isn't crime punished with death sentence, is it?" Flush noticed.

"I'm afraid an order remains order." Oscuro disagreed. He raised his paw and wyverns attacked. Or at least meant to, because in that moment, there appeared streams of fire and lightning, killing lots of wyverns, buying dragons several seconds. Oscuro fell on the ground, saved by a soldier who pushed him away and protected with his own body. Wyverns stood still, scared, unsure, if should they attack. Both fire breathers hissed angrily at them.

"San, take kids and get out of here!" Yonkaton ordered his mate. He watched Flush.

"I'll stay with you." The detective declared. The fire breather nodded. San kissed her mate.

"I love you." She whispered to her mate. "Thank you." Those last words were meant for Flush. The lightning dragoness took her kids and escaped.

"Get them!" Oscuro shouted. Some wyverns attacked two fire breathers , but others followed San with her children on her back. The lightning dragoness was quickly surrounded by those. She definitely was in big trouble.

"Help San. I'll stay here." Yonkaton told Flush. The younger fire breather nodded slightly. He really wanted to argue, but there was no time at all.

"It's been honor to know you, Yonkaton." He said. Both of them realized that the free dragon wouldn't make it alive. Flush flew to San, when he heard her painful scream and characteristic noise of the lightning. She was really fast, but wyverns managed to keep up with her. Flush heard noises of the battle. He saw San, with long wound on her back, with great hardness protecting herself from several wyverns simultaneously attacking her. Flush breathed a stream of fire, killing some wyvern, another one fell hit with the lightning. In this moment, the detective attacked another wyvern's back, killing him and forced other soldiers to pull back a little. In that moment, San landed, Flush appeared next to her.

"Kids, on my back!" He ordered and both Zheek and Farady jumped at him quickly. "Are you alright, San?" The detective asked her with worries.

"I'll be alive." She groaned painfully. "Let's go." Both of them jumped back into the air, there appeared wyverns. Flush released powerful stream of fire, killing two of them and buying themselves several seconds more.

"Where's dad?" Farady asked silently.

"He's not coming." The lightning dragoness explained sadly. Four dragons flew through the forest. After an hour of tries, the wyverns gave up on following them and pulled back.

"And so, we escaped the wyverns." Farady continued the story. Everyone was listening to her, even Sable, Viola and Stella, who for last hour didn't pay attention to their plans at all. "In less than an hour after wyverns gave up on following us, but our mother started feeling very bad. It appeared that her wound was much more serious than we expected. Flush was trying to make the flight any easier to her, but we had no bandages or anything and he was too small to carry her."

"After a day, we reached some dragon village. We stopped there." Zheek sighed deeply. "Well, it's not like we had any choice in this matter anyway. Flush was exhausted and our mom in terrible state. In the village, there were two medics. They were fighting for mom's life for two weeks. She was strong and she didn't want to give up, but there appeared some nasty complications after the wound, including poisoning, and she died. We were crushed, we had no idea where to go." Zheek wiped out a tear. It was hard for him to tell about it. The story, previously detailed, now was mostly filled with emotions.

"Flush took us to Teria. There, we buried our mom and made a grave for dad too, even though it remained empty. Flush had some problems with the city elders about it, but he dealt with them. We stayed in his house. We had nowhere else to go, after all. Flush taught us writing and reading, we even attended to academy. For whole this time, he was looking for a home for us. He knew that we would need really loving family." Farady explained.

"So, has he found someone for you?" Ivory asked. "I remember you living in Flush's house, but you didn't stay there for long, did you?" The white dragoness recalled.

"There came free dragons, a young couple with a son in my age, Vermont. We knew them already and they promised that they would take care of us. And so, we left Teria with them." The lightning dragoness said. "We spent with them next five years, sometimes visiting Flush. And then, he was killed by wyverns. That was the moment when something broke in us. We had enough of wyverns killing our friends and family. We left our foster parents, found our old home in wyvern lands and this ornamented armor in there. We promised ourselves that we would take revenge. And so, we live here since then." Zheek finished the story.

"Do you have any news from your foster parents?" Vixen asked.

"After our leaving, they were crushed. Under some circumstances, they came to Teria and decided to remain there." The lightning dragoness said the rumors she had heard. "So, I guess it's the end of the story." She noticed and yawned deeply.

"We'd better go sleeping by now." Vixen suggested. She raised her head to watch the moons. "It's already after the midnight." She noticed. "Sable, have you written anything?" She asked curiously.

"Not really, we kept listening." The lightning dragon said. "We'll start tomorrow." He promised, unsure if her, or himself. Then, he stood up and others did so as well. They all headed to the cave, bided each other goodnight, waking Tris up accidentally, and all quickly fell asleep. Well, almost all.

Cynder sighed deeply, as she was laying on the grass, watching the moons from between the trees, growing not so densely in there. Then, she heard some steps, echoing silently in the cave. She barely heard those in this windless night, which meant the person was sneaking, just like she had. The dragon left the cave and Cynder saw red scales and those characteristic horns. She smiled slightly, as Zheek headed to her.

"Hi." He greeted her, a little surprised.

"Hi." Cynder smiled warmly. "Lay down, don't stand like that." She suggested. The fire breather placed himself on the ground next to her obediently. "You can't sleep, as I guess?" She asked.

"No, I just love stargazing. How about you?" The fire breather wondered.

"I can't sleep." Cynder admitted and laughed silently with ironic hint in her voice.

"What bothers you?" Zheek watched her curiously.

"You won't understand." The black dragoness not really wanted to tell him.

"But still, maybe I can help." The fire breather didn't give up. Or he just missed an allusion, which was quite possible as well. "You know that the most interesting conversations always happen in the night?" He said. "At least to me."

"In the night? Why is that so?" Cynder jerked her head, surprised. Zheek just shrugged.

"As if I knew. Maybe it's easier to confess something when it's dark around. You know, sureness that no one's watching." Zheek guessed. "So, what is it?" Cynder sighed deeply.

"I've been to here before. Many years earlier. When I still was under Malefor's influence. Wyverns wanted to come with an offensive against the apes, but I was sent to stop them. And I did it." The black dragoness closed her eyes and she could see whole this pain and death she had brought years earlier. "I shed so much blood just because. I could let them go when they decided to withdraw. But I didn't. I kept attacking them until it... bored me."

"It's been many years before." Zheek noticed.

"But time not really changes anything." Cynder explained. "Those lands bring all my memories back. I know that it wasn't really my choice, but still, I did it all."

"So the past is haunting you?" The fire breather summed up.

"Yeah." The black dragoness focused her sight on moons.

"I am simple person, so my point of view on such a matters is really simple." Zheek started.

"Doesn't it sound like an introduction to something long and complicated?" Cynder watched him skeptically. The fire breather shrugged.

"Possibly." He agreed. "Anyway, I used to want to kill Oscuro. But when I faced him, I didn't stand chance, I couldn't do it, but only failed myself and Farady. But now, I don't think about this. It happened, it was beyond me. I have my sister and that's who I should focus on. And you..." Zheek watched the black dragoness carefully. "You used to be Terror of Skies, you've shed blood and killed many beings. It happened, but it all was beyond your control. Now you have mate and child, you should focus on them instead of recalling the past, which you can't change." Then, the fire breather smiled warmly. "My parents kept telling us that we should behave like Cynder: we did something wrong, we should own up, show repentance, but be able to walk through the life straightened up, carrying the burden of your past, but not bowing beneath it." He sighed nostalgically. Like almost every orphan, Zheek missed his parents.

"That's what they would say?" Cynder asked with disbelief. The fire breather bobbed his head once. "Like Cynder. To carry the burden of your past, but not bow beneath it." She whispered to herself. She giggled silently. "So, If I'm Cynder, I should behave like Cynder, shouldn't I?" She noticed.

"I guess so." Zheek agreed, nodding. "Feeling any better?"

"Quite." The black dragoness confirmed. "It's been a while since my last not-Cynder-like behavior." She said, smiling. "I didn't miss it, to be honest."

"No surprise." Zheek agreed. Two dragons were watching stars in silence for some time. It was beautiful, cloudless night, so the view was breathtaking.

"I've been wondering, if you and Vixen are a couple for long already." Cynder started.

"W...what?" Zheek watched her dumbstruck, not sure what to reply.

"Aren't you?" The black dragoness asked, surprised.

"No, we aren't." The fire breather refused. "Why do you ask?" The black dragoness gave him skeptical sight.

"Think, Zheek." She suggested. "Aren't you pretty close to each other?" She noticed. Zheek thought about it for several seconds. In fact, he and Vixen were spending together practically all the time.

"That's what you mean." Zheek realized. Cynder nodded slowly. "We're not a couple. I really like her." He explained. He didn't really want to explain it to anyone, even Cynder.

"There's nothing more or you still didn't confess each other that there's something more?" The black dragoness asked, smiling slightly.

"You mean love?" The fire breather asked. Cynder laughed silently.

"No, the current changes of weather in stratosphere above Dante's Freezer." She joked. "Yes, Zheek, love." She watched dumbstruck fire breather with amusement. He could sometimes be so funny, even if he didn't intend to do so.

"You ask..." The fire breather, completely confused with that sentence about stratosphere, interrupted in half of word not to say something stupid. "You want to know what I feel to her, right?"

"Yes, that's what I want to know." Cynder confirmed. She couldn't help smiling.

"I love her to death." Zheek explained. He had no doubts about it. "But she... she not really notices it. Do you think that she loves me?" The fire breather asked doubtfully.

"That's exactly what I think." The black dragoness agreed. "Just look how she behaves towards you."

"You..." The fire breather watched Cynder carefully for several seconds. "You're right. I hope." He admitted. "She loves me. And I love her." Then, he grinned. "I'll tell it her." He decided. "Even tomorrow. I'll find an opportunity when we'll be all alone and then..." He giggled silently. "I can't wait to tell it her." Cynder smiled slightly. She perfectly understood how he felt. Then, she stood up.

"So, maybe we go back and have a sleep? Tomorrow it's going to be your great day." She suggested. The fire breather nodded slightly.

"Yeah, I'd better be ready. I need to be rested." Zheek agreed. He quickly stood up. "Thanks. I didn't want to tell her because... I guess I was scared until now. Her complete unconsciousness of my feelings was so abashing. I had no idea how she would react and so I kept waiting. But if she feels this same, as you say, that's completely different matter." He explained.

"Don't blame her for it. In matters of love she plays expert, but average hatchlings have more experience than her." Cynder smiled slightly. "I'm glad that I could help."

"This same here." Zheek agreed. "So, let's go." And so, two dragons headed to the cave to have some sleep. Zheek's heart was leaping in joy when he only thought about what awaited him the next day.


	52. Chapter 51

Chapter 51. "Furious magic"

Vixen opened her eyes slowly to see the irregular ceiling of the cave. She watched it carefully. "Did I expect to see anything else?" She wondered. The black dragoness looked around, but through the entrance to her "room"- cave's branching off long for four meters- she saw no one else. The dragoness yawned deeply and tried to sleep again, when she felt smoke. This disturbed her. She stood up, though very reluctantly, and stretched up slowly, straightening her wings and legs. The dragoness headed to the entrance of the cave with sleepy, uncertain step. She stood at its entrance and yawned deeply, opening her jaws widely.

"Oh, there you are, sleeping princess." Sable noticed, smiling cheerfully.

"Princess. Very funny." She repeated, smiling ironically and she turned her eyes on the east, looking for the sun.

"It's a midday already." Her brother informed her. The black dragoness focused back on Sable and other dragons sitting at the fireplace. Everyone was already there, Dante and Tris warming their scales on warm sunlight, Sable, Viola, Stella, Cynder, Tremor and Candice sitting around the plans of Celeste Tribu and discussing their strategy of the attack. Zheek and Farady were swimming in the narrow river and Ivory sat on its shore, watching the crystal clear water carefully, most likely lost in her thoughts or playing with magic.

"Midday, you say?" Vixen asked skeptically. She toddled to her brother, laid her head on his shoulder and watched their notes. She yawned deeply again, as if she wanted to expose everyone two rows of those pure white, little sharp daggers called her teeth.

"What were you doing in the night?" Sable asked, watching her carefully.

"I really tried to fall asleep, but someone kept walking in and out the cave so I couldn't sleep." She said, unsure who should she blame. Cynder was the first one to shrug, as if she had no idea who was guilty for that.

"And I thought I had shallow sleep." Tris, hearing the dialogue, noticed.

"And one question more." Vixen watched all dragons carefully. "Who snores in the night so loudly?" The black dragoness watched suspiciously Tremor, but the guardian bravely faced her sight putting a mask of absolutely innocent dragon. Vixen sighed deeply. She closed her eyes and her head fell at Sable's shoulder. After several seconds, there could be heard silent snoring. All the dragons laughed silently.

"Vixen?" Viola called her. There was no reply.

"Vixen." Sable moved his shoulder, waking his sister up rapidly.

"Wh...what?" The black dragoness watched the dragons sitting before the plan with unconscious sight.

"You'd better wake up." Cynder suggested.

"Tell me about it." Vixen muttered. Then, she stood up and walked for several meters from the other dragons in order to stretch up a little more. The dragons returned to the plans, except Tremor, who watched small dragoness turned at them with her back. Then, he grinned, as some idea appeared in his mind. He enclosed to Sable and whispered him something. The lightning dragon smiled, barely stopping himself from bursting out with laugh. The earth guardian took little stone and threw it at Ivory's back. The white dragoness turned at them and then, Sable placed a finger on his lips, singing her that she should remain silent. He pointed at her, then at the stream and later, on Vixen. Ivory shrugged. Both Tremor and Sable sighed deeply and rolled their eyes. Tremor pointed at Ivory again. The white dragoness placed a finger on her chest. The guardian nodded. Then, he pointed his mouth. The medic pointed at him. Both males shook their heads. Sable pointed at her. Ivory placed a finger on her jaws and males nodded with satisfaction. The lightning dragon made a gesture, as if he breathed his element. Ivory jerked her head, watching him strangely. All the dragons, except Vixen of course, already watching silent discussion, giggled silently. Tremor repeated the gesture. Ivory raised her paw and for a second, there glowed an azure magical aura. Both males nodded quickly. Then, Tremor pointed at stream and Sable at his sister. This part was obvious. Ivory opened her jaws widely and nodded her head slowly, as if she wanted say "Oh... " as she realized their plan. Ivory focused for a second, she made a magical barrier, which raised some of water from the river. The magical bowl of water was floating in the air slowly, enclosing to Vixen.

"Sister!" Sable called the black dragoness.

"Huh?" She asked with sleepy voice, as she was turning to them. Then, all the cold water from barrier was poured exactly in her face. And there was very much of it, so it wetted her completely. Vixen gasped deeply, surprised by freezing water and watched the dragons, already laughing, with widely opened eyes.

"For ancestors' sake!" The black dragoness shouted, vexed. She was already awake, watching her companions hatefully.

"Nice shot, Captain." Sable grinned to Ivory, laying on the ground and laughing. The black dragoness took a deep, slow breath, calming down. She smiled bitterly to all of them.

"Yeah, very funny." She said angrily. Then, Zheek stood before her. He was the only dragon who smiled not with amusement, but pity.

"Let's go, we'll gather some wood for the bonfire." He suggested. Cynder smiled slightly. She had to admit that Zheek had perfect timing in that moment. Vixen nodded slightly.

"Yeah, let's go." She agreed and nuzzled the fire breather thankfully for that he was the only one not to laugh. Two dragons quickly disappeared in the forest. Tremor sighed deeply with amusement.

"Candy, let's hunt something, shall we?" He suggested. The ice guardian watched the bonfire carefully. They had run out of all the meat already.

"Mhm." She agreed and both dragons stood up. "We'll be back in an hour or two." Candice promised. Two dragons headed into the forest. Ivory watched them, her eyes locked on Tremor. She felt magic growing in her.

"What's happening to me?" She asked herself. For unknown to her reason, she wanted to follow them, as if some invisible force was pushing her to move. "Stop." She whispered. No effect. "Stop." She repeated. But something in her didn't listen her at all. Ivory sighed deeply.

"I'll take a walk." She informed the others. Then, she stood up and headed to the forest in similar direction as Tremor and Candice, but much slower.

The fire dragoness yawned deeply. It was already the midday, so why was she sleepy? She wondered about it for several seconds. Tris turned her head on her mate, having a nap. Was it just her or was everyone sleepy? The others, not only guardians, Sable and Viola, but even Farady, sitting in circle and discussing the plan looked quite weary as well. "I guess it's this weather." She said to herself, watching the sky. It was gloomy, covered in dark clouds, through which, sun could be barely seen. And it had been so beautiful earlier. She sighed deeply. "You can't have everything, huh?" She muttered. Then, she felt her mate moving. The fire dragoness jerked her head at him and nuzzled him. The poet yawned deeply.

"Good morning, sweetie." Tris greeted her mate, nuzzling him.

"Morning? Isn't it a midday by now?" Dante noticed. The fire dragoness just shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess."

"You know, I think that we should talk about something." The poet started. "I am concerned about you." The fire dragoness jerked her head, dumbstruck.

"Concerned, you say?" She asked, honestly surprised.

"Well, I can risk an assumption that saying that putting it mildly, I'm concerned about you, would be belittling the seriousness of this situation." Dante clarified. Or rather, meant to clarify it.

"Ok..." Tris watched her mate carefully. "What concerns you so much?" She asked.

"I'm worried about our baby." The poet said.

"Is there something I don't know?"

"No. But your attitude..." Dante sighed deeply. "Don't you think that you should be more careful about it?" He asked. He had already talked with Sable. The lightning dragon didn't refuse in the first place only because he believed Dante would convince her to quit this idea. "I mean, until now, we've been escaping, fearing about our lives every day. We made it through that battle, even though it wasn't easy. You know how I felt about whole this journey from the very beginning." Tris nodded slightly, perfectly realizing that her mate never liked the idea of her coming there. "And now, they plan to attack Celeste Tribu. I understand them, but do we really need to take part in it? Don't you think that we'll be a ball and chain to them?" Dante noticed.

"What?!" Tris jerked her head rapidly, watching her mate in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

"You are pregnant, practically just about to lay an egg." The poet reminded her. "And you willingly put yourself in danger."

"It's not like this!" The fire breather refused. She stood up rapidly and so did her mate.

"It's exactly like this." Dante riposted.

"It's not! I am here to help my friends!" The dragoness was already shouting loudly, ignoring all possible watchers.

"And how can you help them? You're having problems with your magic, don't you?" The earth dragon noticed. He knew that Tris couldn't use her medical spells as well as just several months ago, to put it mildly and he knew that it meant her child would be talented in magic. In fact, all the dragons were surprised that she still could use some of her magic at this stage of pregnancy.

"I know that I practically can't use it already. But still, there are other ways." The fire breather argued and her mate gave her skeptical sight. "Don't glare at me like that! There are!"

"Which are..." Dante was really curious what she would say.

"I can fight. Sable learnt me a lot, you've seen for yourself. Besides, there's still alchemy, it may be very important, if we fall in troubles." Tris enumerated.

"And how would it help us?" The poet asked doubtfully.

"How can I know what situation will we be in?! It can help!"

"I can hardly believe that. Not speaking of your fighting skills." Dante said.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Tris hissed angrily.

"They aren't really... great, you know? The word developed would be exaggeration as well, as I guess." The poet explained. Oh, that vexed the fire dragoness.

"Exaggeration?! Sable has been teaching me for last four years! I know how to fight!" Tris defended her argument. And then, she attacked. "Oh, maybe it's you who feels useless?! Because you're no medic, no one really taught you how to fight and..."

"That's ridiculous! I would..." Dante didn't let her finish the sentence.

"Don't interrupt me!" Tris scolded him.

"And what have you done you egocentric hypocrite?" The poet riposted.

"You did it first, so I had the very right to..."

"Oh, really?! Wasn't it you?"

"My tail, me. It was you!" Tris watched him angrily. "Really!"

"You're so ignorant and reckless..."

"Egoistic liar!" The fire dragoness interrupted him.

"Now it was you that..." Dante hissed angrily when between them, there appeared Viola.

"Both of you, calm down." She interrupted them with begging hint. For a second, both mates watched her in silence. "Don't you think that it's not a time for arguments? We all are..."

"It's none of your business!" Both young dragons scolded the azure dragoness simultaneously. They looked at each other and their sights met for a second. Both of them laughed silently. Dante shook his head in disbelief. Viola smiled with relief. Two dragons were laughing silently for a moment, when their eyes met again. They look each other very carefully for a second or two. Then, both of them realized that for a moment they weren't fighting and quickly improved that temporary buried hatchet. Both dragons turned at each other in ostentatious gesture and walked in opposite directions, entering the forest. Viola looked at two dragons for several seconds, dumbstruck.

"The idea was good." Sable noticed. The azure dragoness smiled bitterly.

"Yeah. But I can't say this same about realization." She said with disappointed voice and walked back to other dragons. "So, what have we finished at?" She asked curiously trying to clear her mind from that lovers' quarrel.

The earth guardian sighed with disappointment as he saw a deer which had noticed him a moment earlier and ran away quickly. He didn't follow it, but turned in another direction. He was already tired with playing with that clever animal for already two hours. He was sneaking, smelling and looking around all the time, hoping to find something to hunt. He had never been hunting in Celeste Tribu, but from what he noticed, local animals were pretty smart. Or he just was terribly unlucky to find the smart one. Fact that an animal had been playing with him really hurt his male pride, didn't it? Tremor was sneaking for several minutes already when he heard some steps behind him. He sighed deeply.

"Candy, be more silent, you're scaring all the animals off." He pleased, not even turning around. In several seconds, he heard no reply. "Candy?" He pleased.

"Tremor." The dark, female voice doubled by magic said. The guardian felt creeps all across his body and he quickly jumped away. He saw Ivory. Around her, there could be seen an azure aura, floating around her. There were appearing something like circles on the ground. Her sight was cold, hateful. Tremor had already seen her like that, many years ago, when Flush died.

"Ivory?" The guardian asked silently, uncertain what was happening.

"So many years." The white dragoness whispered with ominous voice. "You thought you'd remain unpunished to the end of your life?" She asked with disbelief. The dragoness stopped several meters from the guardian and started making circles around him. Tremor was stepping slowly, all the time having an eye for her. He knew that if she attacked, he had to be very fast. He remembered even too well how her previous fury looked like.

"I thought you were done with whole this hatred." Tremor noticed. "You've already killed those wyverns years earlier and as I remember, you felt terribly about it." He recalled.

"What I felt terribly about was that I killed them, but not you." Ivory explained. "It's all your fault. You were supposed to meet with Mar and Fuerzo. You were supposed to die, not Flush." Ivory hissed angrily. Tremor watched her carefully. He opened his jaws to say something and then, he jumped on the side, rolling for several meters across the ground. The instinct didn't fail him. As he realized, it saved him from painful death of being crushed against Ivory's magical barrier. Ivory swung her paw, releasing another wave of magic, straight at Tremor. The guardian, surprised a little that she learnt to do it with her right paw, knew that he wouldn't roll away on time. Instead, he made a wall of earth, the thickest one he could in this short time. He heard loud slam. The wall cracked. Ivory shot the barrier again, Tremor made another wall. The first one turned into pieces with loud noise and the second one cracked. He saw Ivory taking a deep breath. This time, he jumped away, behind him, there flew rocks, as the magical energy pierced through the stone. Tremor leaned down involuntarily, right above him there flew another barrier. Ivory was now on his left, she made some swing with her paw. And then, Tremor felt force pushing him to her from his right. He cursed silently and as he managed to lay his paws on the ground, he jumped in the air rapidly, just in time to avoid getting crushed by two walls coming from opposite sides. Tremor dove to the ground, this time hiding behind the tree. Another wave of energy flew next to him. He had to attack her, if he wanted to make it alive. But he hardly believed, if he could stop her without killing her. Still, he had to try. "What's wrong with you, Ivory?" He asked himself, not understanding why she had attacked him all of sudden. If only he had something to buy himself a second or two... Then, something moved in leaves above Tremor. Ivory shot there a barrier, but Tremor appeared to be still on the ground, now running to her.

"Earth ball as a decoy?" Ivory asked, surprised. Tremor grinned. He jumped in the air turning rapidly to avoid another her attack and then, he fell at her. Ivory blocked his paws with her, two dragons faced each other and Ivory started losing to him.

"Stop, Ivory!" The earth guardian shouted at her. "Calm down!"

"Why should I?" Ivory opened her mouth and there glowed the magic. "You're dead." Tremor cursed and hit her with forehead. Ivory dropped him, rolled away and stepped back for several meters. The guardian was about to attack again, when dragoness threw him back with the blow of energy. It was weak, she barely had time to charge it. Tremor grinned. He almost had her. Ivory's head hurt terribly, but she stood still, charging another amount of magic. And then, next to her, there appeared some white dragoness who jumped on Ivory, turned her over and rolled with her. Tremor grinned as he recognized her. It was Candice. Two dragonesses stopped. The guardian was laying on Ivory, holding both her paws. Ivory tried to shoot her with magic, but ice guardian pressed her head to the ground with forehead so magic flew in completely different direction. She held her other paw with elbow.

"What are you doing?!" Candice shouted at her.

"I'll kill him! It's because of him that..." Ivory was yelling furiously with doubled voice.

"Ivory, stop! Is this what Flush would wish you to do?!" The ice guardian asked. The white dragoness glared deeply into Candice's eyes for several second. She lowered her sight, there appeared tears. The magical aura around her disappeared. "Ivory?" Candice called her, but only silence replied. She dropped Ivory's head slowly. The white dragoness released herself rapidly from under her with magic, rolled away and took flight.

"Ivory, wait!" The guardian called her. She and her mate jumped in the air and followed her.

"Ivory!" Tremor called her, but he heard no reply.

"Are you alright?" Candice asked with worries. For the first glance her mate seemed fine, but still...

"I'm worrying more about her than me." The earth dragon said.

"You could be bleeding to death with all your limbs broken and you'd be worrying more about the others than yourself." The ice guardian noticed. Tremor smiled slightly. He didn't argue.

"I'm fine. Thanks for coming." He said. Two dragons were flying in the silence, following Ivory. After about fifteen minutes she rapidly disappeared from their sight. But they found her quickly. The white dragoness was sitting at the shore of this same river they had their cave next to. She was watching the flowing water, whimpering quietly. Two guardians landed behind her.

"Ivory." Candice called her.

"Leave me alone." The white dragoness pleased.

"Ivory." Tremor said with such a voice that it was clear that they wouldn't.

"Just get lost!" Ivory turned and scolded them. From her eyes, there fell tears. Then, she turned back, hung her head and continued crying. Two guardians walked to her and sat at both her sides. Neither of them said a word, they waited for Ivory. Five minutes, ten, fifteen, twenty... The time was passing unbearably slowly. And they were there, sitting by her sides. As if nothing had happened.

"Miserable, am I not?" Ivory finally interrupted the silence. Neither of guardians said a word, but watched her carefully. "I am just an ordinary dragoness. Or maybe even worse. Shy, controlled by emotions, weak, lacking talent to even use ice." She sighed deeply. "Why me? Why am I Lian's ancestor, why was I given this magic?" She asked, begging for an answer, but only silence answered her cry. "It grows with my body, the older I am the more of it I have. But I'm losing control on it, it lives its own life. Under negative emotions, when I get mad, angry or even recall something unpleasant, it tries to take me over. And it succeeds, just like now. It's ironic strength, isn't it? I was too weak to save my friend, but I have enough of it to try to kill another one."

"You can change it." Candice assured her. "It won't come just like that, but you can learn how to fully control it."

"If you train much, you'll manage to keep your magic within yourself, even in such uneasy mood." Tremor said, sure about his words. Ivory watched both of them carefully.

"You don't know how Lian died, do you?" She asked.

"She used exchange of lifes to save her son, didn't she?" Candice recalled.

"And do you know why was Lian's son dying in the first place?" The white dragoness watched the guardians curiously, but both of them just shrugged. They had no idea.

"What happened?" Tremor didn't know this story at all.

"You see, Lian was really talented magician." Ivory started. "At the end of her life she had potential much greater than mine. But she had similar problems as I do. In her diary, she described it as if her magic had its own spirit, which was trying to take her over whenever she would fall into some negative emotions. She told about it only her closest family and friends, because everyone else would say that she was mentally ill, even though it was not mental disease. This spirit existed on its own, it was magical being, artificial soul possessing its own energy. Anyway, Lian lost control on herself. It was something about her son's mate, she never liked her. And she... the spirit took her over and wounded Lian's son, wasting up whole the magic she had. Once she returned to normal, she saw that her son was dying and the only way to save him was using exchange of lifes, she had ran out of magic. And so, she did it." Ivory sighed deeply. "No one ever really spread the story. Lian was great dragoness and it was the only unfortunate accident with her magic." The white dragoness watched her friends. "I inherited this spirit with Lian's talent as a wizard. And I'm losing to it. Even Lian couldn't face it and I..." She interrupted, as she felt that both guardians hugged her friendly.

"But you will." Candice whispered. "You know what you fight. You can defeat it."

"Candice..." Ivory wanted to refuse.

"No, she's right." Tremor interrupted her. "With your friends' support, you can face it and control it. You have to do it for your son. For Flush." The guardian noticed.

"This attack moment earlier was nothing, Tremor." The medic warned. "It still wasn't the full power of that spirit. Yes, the big part of it, but the spirit will try again, stronger. And I can't promise if next time several words will be enough to bring me back. I don't even know if it won't take me over permanently."

"We all believe in you, Ivory." Candice assured her. The medic really wanted to say "If only I did".

"You have to promise me something." Ivory begged.

"What is it?" The ice guardian asked.

"If it happens again, if it takes me over, kill me. I won't be able to face it, just kill me." The white dragoness wiped out a single tear. "It will be better for all of us."

"No, we won't promise you that." Candice refused.

"But..."

"We will not kill you, whatever happens, even if you wanted to kill us." Tremor said firmly. "We will bring you back, but we will not kill you. Death is not a solution." He said. Ivory watched both guardians with disbelief. Candice nodded slowly, confirming her mate's words. The medic smiled sadly and shook her head with disbelief.

"What helpless optimists you are." She said to herself. "But, if you say so, I'll give my best to control myself. I can't let it happen again." The white dragoness agreed, watching the stream flowing slowly. She sighed deeply. "Thank you. Just be careful about me." She warned. Both guardians smiled to her optimistically and nodded. Ivory had a feeling that they misunderstood those words. Indeed, they did.


	53. Chapter 52

Chapter 52. "A mistletoe"

Vixen was all alone in the middle of the forest. In this place, her wild nature was getting... well, wild, from the lack of a better word. The black dragoness giggled silently. She was sneaking across the forest, low on her legs, all the time looking around. She grinned, wondering where Zheek could be. Then, she rapidly jumped in the air and landed at some thick branch. Next, she bounced from it to another tree and caught its bough, hanging on it for a second only to drop it and drop another one. She remained there and looked around. Her eyes were jumping from one object to another, rapidly, enjoying each view, but wanting to see more and more. A second later, she jumped from the branch and disappeared in some bushes. She giggled silently, realizing how childish her behavior was. But she had reasons to behave like this. Oh, she had many of those. Fine, only two, but those were extremely important ones. Firstly, she had finally told Sable the truth, she was his sister and she could enjoy this fact without fear about her life. Secondly, Clavius was dead. The nightmare was over, she had conquered her greatest fear for that it would never return. Vixen, thinking about it, heard some noise close to her. She saw through the bushes Zheek, just several meters from her, looking around. His step was careful and silent, oppositely to hers. The dragoness watched him carefully. This young, naive sometimes and not really clever fire breather looked completely different now. He was... matured. This young fire breather was matured? For some reason, this word didn't fit him completely, as for Vixen, in this same way it didn't fit her when she would giggle childishly. Each Zheek's step would touch the ground gently, soundlessly. His eyes were looking around carefully. He didn't focus on anything, but his sight was scanning the area around him carefully. Those weren't jumping wildly as her, which looked as if she had nystagmus. His breath was silent and slow, so calm. Vixen watched him even more carefully. Her heart started hammering. He was a hunter. Even despite the first expression, he was intelligent. Such eyes couldn't belong to someone stupid. This confidence, awareness of the possible danger around him. She really liked this about him, maybe even more than scatterbrained nature of his. It looked ridiculous sometimes, but Zheek was lovely with that feature. Then she noticed slight smile dancing across his lips. Vixen's heart skipped a beat. Or rather three. At least three, since that was when she lost count because of stress. Why was she so stressed? Or maybe was it excitement? He noticed her. He must have seen her through those bushes, she could clearly see his eye stopping on her. And then, he turned around and started walking in another direction. Vixen would sigh with relief, if only it didn't reveal her position. She started slowly pulling back, cursing in her mind fact that she couldn't move as quiet as Zheek. The dragoness turned around silently, in her opinion, and started walking away from the fire breather. She had been playing this game with him for hours already. She would make some noise, hide and disappear before she would be found. She loved playing around with him like this. He was like a hatchling in the woods. Even though she had this disturbing feeling that he was the one playing with her. Every time she'd avoid him by a miracle, she was sure that he had noticed her. Why didn't he catch her, if so? Most likely he hadn't noticed her at all, which she stated proudly. Vixen was wondering like this, sneaking, when someone fell on her side and knocked her over. Two dragons rolled as they stopped. Zheek had Vixen completely unable to move. It looked like when she called him a hatchling in the woods, she completely forgot that he had been living in there since his very birth.

"How did you..." Vixen asked with disbelief.

"You're the worst fugitive I've ever seen. So noisy..." The fire breather said with disappointment.

"I'm not!" The black dragoness refused.

"I'm afraid you are. But it's none of your fault, I'm the one who since ever had been raised to live in forest." Zheek smiled slightly. "And I know the forest pretty well."

"That's cheating." Vixen blamed him with remorse.

"I gave you head start." Zheek disagreed. "If not that, I'd catch you in no more than five minutes."

"Tch." Vixen just snorted angrily and struggeld like little caught animal trying to release herself. "You may be better hunter, but I am much better fighter!" She noticed and beaten her wings, releasing a blow of wind, which turned them over and gave Vixen opportunity to release herself. But Zheek quickly jumped to her, caught the dragoness and both of them fell on the ground. Then, to their surprise, rolled. This time faster. Much faster. Not without a reason, of course. The long for about fifty meters sleep hillside was just enough for it, much to Vixen's anger. She squeaked surprised, as she realized what their situation was. Zheek looked before himself to make sure that they wouldn't hit any tree. Well, even if they were about to, neither of them would be able to do anything to stop in their situation. Vixen grasped her companion stronger, perfectly realizing that and begging in her mind that Zheek would take any possible blow on himself. Well, it wasn't really altruistic thinking of her, but hey, he was the male who was supposed to protect weak females, right? Even if word "weak" not really fit Vixen. After all, she was brave and... Then, she squeaked fearfully again and Zheek laughed as they bounced from some undefined object on the ground, flew for a fraction of a second and fell back on the ground. Zheek bravely took the landing on himself and they continued rolling. After a moment they finally stopped. Vixen grinned triumphantly, as she realized that she was lying on the fire breather.

"Much better, don't you think?" The black dragoness noticed, her head was gently swinging, as she was really dizzy. Zheek watched skeptically the row of her little white teeth, each sharp as a dagger.

"By the way, aren't we supposed to gather the wood for the bonfire?" The fire breather asked. He tried to move, but Vixen held all his limbs, even tail. She looked around and caught some thin branch right above her with her teeth and broke it. She showed it proudly to the fire breather.

"I'm gathering it." Vixen argued speaking with her jaws closed. Zheek laughed silently.

"Moist branch will burn terribly, don't you think?" He noticed. "And besides, it's not really good wood to be burnt. It's mistletoe." Then, both dragons realized what twig it was, as they watched its white fruits. They blushed rapidly, as they watched each other carefully, unsure how to behave.

"So, this is the part when we..." Vixen stopped in half of the sentence.

"Only if you say so." Zheek interrupted her and both of them laughed a little nervously. Then, the black dragoness dropped the mistletoe.

"Well…" The black dragoness wondered what to say.

"Hey, why did you do that? You looked so adorable with that mistletoe." Zheek said, watching her with disappointment. The black dragoness couldn't help noticing that he looked adorable as well, just like a hatchling who someone had just taken a toy. Sad, but so cute.

"Do I?" Vixen watched him doubtfully. Then, the fire breather's paw slipped from beneath her and he caught small twig and put into her jaws. Vixen enjoyed his red scales touching her cheek gently. He was so pleasant in touch to her that no words could explain it. The black dragoness closed her jaws obediently, not strongly to avoid breaking it. She grinned cheerfully. She looked so lovely with this green branch covered in long leaves and little white fruits hanging at the right side of her mouth. Zheek watched her with fascination.

"You look beautiful." He confirmed his previous words. "You know... I wanted to tell you that..." He fell silent for several seconds. "Oh, how to express it..."

"The best you can." Vixen suggested and giggled silently in her characteristic, childish way.

"Thanks for advice." Zheek gave her skeptical sight, but smiled slightly. He loved the words like those from her. Seemingly they meant nothing, but deeply in his heart, he would gain such courage that he felt he could tell her anything. "Anyway, you see, at the very first moment I saw you, you seemed somehow... special to me." He started.

"Special, you say?" Vixen watched him carefully and jerked her head curiously.

"Yeah, special." The fire breather nodded slightly. "It felt as if I have known you for my whole life, as if..." Zheek stuttered. He never was a good speaker. "You've changed everything, turned my world over. I can't stop thinking about you, wherever I go, whatever I do. You're standing here, right before me, completely bewitched by you, even if I wanted to release myself from this charm, I wouldn't. Everything in you is so beautiful, remarkable that..." The fire breather took deep breath. He glared deeply into her dark green eyes. Eyes of just a child, or maybe already an adult? They were showing carelessness, joy, childish naivety and ignorance. But they were either full of terrible pain and suffering, fear, sights of death of the ones important to her. They belonged to someone very strong, stubborn and not giving up, who cared about her friends and family and could die for them. She was someone who despite her cruel and painful past, in spite of so much bad influence on her from the ones close to her, like Primero, didn't let it change her psyche into twisted-minded, vindictive, enjoying the suffering of others, showing no mercy. She had the very law to be like this, but she was not at all. "I love you, Vixey." He whispered. "I guess that's the part when we kiss." He noticed, smiling slightly, and then their lips enclosed slowly and connected in gentle and yet, passionate kiss. Vixen enjoyed this warm touch, enjoyed his lips touching hers, their tongues dancing, their bodies hugging each other. Her mistletoe slipped away from between her jaws and fell on fire breather's chest as she lost herself completely to their joy. She didn't oppose. She didn't even consider it. She hugged him. And then, Vixen's eyes grew wide. The black dragoness released herself from his hug and jumped away. She stopped several meters from surprised fire breather.

"Vixey?" He asked, unsure how to behave.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Vixen scolded him. "You can't just hug and kiss me like that!" She watched him angrily. "Dear ancestors, you should at least ask me, if I love you too, if you can kiss me, not force yourself on me!" For unknown to her, or rather to both of them, reason she was mad at the fire breather.

"What are you…" Zheek had no idea what was she talking about.

"You should ask me, if I want this! What, if I didn't?!" Vixen shouted at him.

"And didn't you?" The fire breather asked with brutal honesty. The wind dragoness took deep breath overfilling her lungs with the air in order to buy herself a second or two to come up with an answer. And knowing that she had not really a way to defend herself, she decided to attack.

"That's not the point! You're so… childish! And you're so scatterbrained, chaotic! You're funny person, good friend, but, but…" Vixen stuttered, unsure how to continue. If Zheek interrupted her in that very moment, he would still have a chance to calm her down, but he opened his jaws a little too slowly. "But a mate?! Come on!" The black dragoness shouted. "You're too young to even think about it, not speaking of filling it!" Then, she turned around. "Think this through, kid." She ordered and left aghast fire breather behind. The wind dragoness straightened her wings and took flight. Zheek watched her in silent disbelief.

"What have I done wrong?" He asked with disbelief. He was sure that she had such feelings towards him, she behaved in such a way that he found it obvious. And that was why he couldn't understand what had just happened.

Zheek watched in direction where she went for quite long. "I… don't understand."He whispered. He was so dumbstruck. "Was she just playing so kittenish towards me for fun? We spent so much time together, she would all the time lay cuddled in me, with my wing protectively spreading around her. After facing Oscuro she was so scared about me, it all looked so honest." The fire breather snorted angrily. "Females." He grasped a mistletoe laying before him. "So delusive. And I believed that she really felt something about me. Was it just a game for you?" He asked, as he broke the mistletoe and dropped it watching it hatefully. "Let's break young male's heart. Why not? It must be great fun. Let's behave as there were some feelings, charm him, wrap around the finger and when he confesses his love, break his heart." The fire breather took flight rapidly. He didn't understand it at all. If she loved him, why had she rejected him? And if she didn't, why had she been behaving so deceptively? "She played with me like a child. As a male, I should be the first to confess my love. She knew it and she played with me." Zheek wasn't flying to the camp. He just wanted to leave that place behind. "I'm such gullible moron, am I not?" The fire breather sighed deeply. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. You won, Vixen, you can enjoy your victory." In his eye, there appeared a tear. "So, we're done now, aren't we?" He asked, feeling his heart sinking lower and lower to where only anger was awaiting for it.

"This egoistic, childish, ignorant, impulsive…" Vixen was enumerating hatefully. She wasn't flying anymore, but only walking slowly between the trees, thinking intensively. "How could he behave like this? He didn't even ask me, how I feel about him, but simply forced the kiss!" The black dragoness looked around, looking for any object that she could destroy, maybe she would feel a little better. "Males. They're all this same, thinking about only one thing!" The black dragoness took some stone and threw it far away. "Dear ancestors, for a moment I believed that he would be different, polite, patient and..." She stopped for a moment, clenching her paw angrily, so mad at the fire breather. "You're all this same!" She shouted in the air, not caring who would hear her. "Why should they ask, if female wants it? No…" She emphasized "o" characteristically in annoyance. "Why would they? Just charm them, kiss, mate and see what happens." Vixen snorted angrily. "Romanticism died, didn't it?" The blood in her veins was boiling in anger, she couldn't believe that Zheek did that. "Such a kid as him already wants to do it. He can hardly be called matured, but who cares? He wants to mate? Why not?!" Black dragoness's voice was overfilled with hateful irony. "And I thought that males find us something more than just objects. When I watched Sable or Dante I really believed so, but Zheek is …" And then, the black dragoness stopped rapidly. Her eyes grew wide. "What am I blabbing about?" She asked herself. "Zheek confessed his love to me, maybe not in sophisticated, but beautiful way. He kissed me." The black dragoness was speaking, as if she just realized what had happened. "And I… Dear ancestors, I love him!" Vixen finally shouted it. She realized that all that she had just said were empty excuses. Just her imagination, nothing more. For whole the time, she had been avoiding saying it, as if she had some fear from loving Zheek. Some part of her mind kept denying him as a possible love due to whole his silly, scatterbrained nature, but at last, she realized her real feelings. Now, when… Her eyes grew wide. "Then why have I just rejected…" She stood still for a second. "Dear ancestors." And then, she started running back. "Zheek!" She called the fire breather, begging in her mind that she would catch up with him. "Zheek!" She was already flying, beating her little wings madly. She landed in the place where she and Zheek kissed. The black dragoness stopped right under some tree. "Gone." She whispered. She knew that she wouldn't catch up with him, even if she knew where he went. He would escape her without any problem. The dragoness made a step when she felt something under her paw. She watched down to see broken branch of mistletoe. She grasped it and watched sadly.

"Under a mistletoe." She whispered painfully. In her eye there appeared a tear. "Dear ancestors, a dragon confesses love to a dragoness under a mistletoe, deeply in their hearts they clearly see that they love each other. How could it not work out?" She asked herself desperately. "He didn't ask, if I wanted this." She recalled her words. "Dear ancestors, he did! What idiot I am! He kissed me and I… I… answered." She was already crying."Is he a kid? I'm the childish one! He's matured and I and my childishness screwed it all up." She leaned against some tree and watched the sky above herself. Those white little fruits and long, green leaves growing right above her head hurt her terribly, she would rather to be caught and taken to Celeste by Clavius several days earlier than let this happen."Under a mistletoe." She cried, or maybe laughed to herself painfully, as she didn't wipe a tear on her cheek out. "Under a mistletoe." She repeated with disbelief, crying silently.

Both dragons returned to the camp much later. Zheek was the first one to be back. He looked as if nothing had happened, he was surprisingly cheerful, in fact. No one noticed anything wrong about him. Vixen came returned much later and she headed straight to the cave to have a nap, as she said. No one saw her tears since she had cried them all out before coming back to the camp. Cynder watched her very carefully, wondering what could have happened, but Vixen played really tired and the fire breather looked so well that she couldn't notice that there was anything wrong, Zheek had even brought wood. She laid down in the cave and covered her head with wings, wanting to fall asleep quickly. But she didn't feel somnolence at all. She felt terrible pain in her belly, even though she perfectly realized it wasn't her body that hurt, but her mind. She still couldn't believe that she really scolded Zheek. The minutes or maybe hours were passing, as Vixen was being consumed by her broken heart. And then, she heard some steps. She raised her head hopefully, begging in her mind to see Zheek. If she could stand face to face with him, she still had a chance to repair it all.

"There you are, sister." Sable smiled to the black dragoness, who perfectly hid her disappointment.

"Here I am." She confirmed with voice as if she didn't care about anything. Sable watched her carefully, he could feel that there was something wrong.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concerned.

"I'm exhausted." The black dragoness answered tersely. He didn't believe, but he didn't ask. He knew she wouldn't tell the truth, even if already had suspicion what had happened.

"But you haven't brought any wood, have you?" Sable noticed, watching her skeptically. Vixen grinned with annoyed smile.

"You've already teased me far too much, as for one day, don't you think?" She suggested him to stop. She wasn't in mood for it. "Zheek brought it."

"I see." He agreed. "Vixen, we're moving now. I know we planned to do it later, but it will be safer to be a little hasty." He informed his sister. The little dragoness jerked her head curiously.

"Moving to where?" She asked with disbelief.

"To the north. We need to enclose to Celeste Tribu, if we mean to strike." Sable explained. Vixen sighed deeply.

"If you say so." She agreed. "Where will we stop?"

"Under the waterfall. Wyverns still don't know this hideout." The lightning dragon said.

"That's good idea." Vixen admitted. "So, let's go." The dragoness stood up slowly. Sable nodded. He didn't leave the cave with her, but went to his room for his swords. Heading to the exit, Vixen passed by Keezheekoni. She watched him sadly, trying to catch his sight, but he stepped coldly and firmly, avoiding her with his eyes. Her jaws opened slightly, but she realized that she didn't know what to say. As he passed by her completely unconcerned about her, Vixen hung her head sadly. Why didn't he slap her in the face and scold her, offend or do whatever else he would want to? It wouldn't hurt at all compared to his ignorance. And if he stopped just for a second, she would find within herself strength to look into his eyes, tell him her real feelings and kiss him. Wiped out from fire breather's mind, she felt so alone, lacking courage to do anything. She felt her heart aching terribly with two words being carved in it: the end. Then, she left the cave. Everyone was already preparing to leave, the bonfire had been extinguished, Farady had already wore her armor, some were stretching up before the flight.

"So, everyone's ready?" Sable asked, as he appeared from the dark cave. He had just put on his back all three of his swords. Next to him, there was standing Zheek in his armor.

"Yeah, we can go." Viola confirmed. All the dragons took flight low above the lines of trees. After such short time of peaceful silence, they headed back to the north in order to once and for good deal with Verdad.


	54. Chapter 53

Chapter 53. "Heart dilemma"

All the dragons were flying in silence, right above surface of dense forest, comparable to lake from their point of view. The reason of lack of any conversations was really simple: they didn't want to be noticed by anyone. They had already were on the hunting territory of wyverns and if they were behaving loudly, they'd be noticed right away. And by remaining quiet they minimized the possibility of such a happening. At the head, there was flying Vixen. She was flying with her eyes closed, sensing the territory around her with her wind. She had whole years to learn it after Clavius blinded and imprisoned her. The black dragoness didn't want to open her eyes. Firstly, it was easier to keep tears like this. And secondly, she felt a little more comfortable not seeing anything. Because of so many years being tortured, young dragoness had got used to thought that the darkness would mean pain. Feeling pain of her broken heart in the sunlight of the afternoon cloudless sky was somehow... unnatural to her. It was the pain she didn't know and so, she didn't want it. She preferred to close her eyes so that her suffering would feel more familiar to her, even though it still remained different. Zheek seemed to be much better, at least in Vixen's opinion. He behaved as if nothing had happened and he was avoiding the black dragoness with such natural easiness that no one could notice a thing. Keezheekoni was in really good mood, as if great weight was lifted off his heart. The fire breather knew that he was a free dragon, so he should be a little wilder than city dragons in Vixen's opinion. She expected him to scold her sooner or later, to release all the anger that was cumulated in his heart. But he didn't anything like this. He only wiped her out from his mind and heart with terrifying easiness, as for somebody in love.

"Only... This word didn't fit it at all." Vixen said in her mind. "Zheek said once that in his opinion, words were powerful weapon. But I guess silence is even worse one, isn't it?" The dragoness felt as if she wasn't worth even a word of her. And that was the most painful thing he could do to her, even if he didn't realize that. Every his word, every smile, even sight that focused on other dragons hurt her like a sword piercing her body. And yet, she couldn't stop watching him. If only no one was looking at her, she would lock her eyes on the fire breather and focus completely on him. She wanted to stop, but she couldn't. It was beyond her. The black dragoness sighed deeply, she almost opened her eyes, but she somehow stopped herself this time. She used to fear darkness and now it was her only escape. She smiled bitterly."How ironic, isn't it?" She noticed. Vixen couldn't know that she was being watched by the fire breather stealthily. Zheek's eyes were watching everything around him, but he kept focusing on her, as if some invisible strength was pulling his sight back to her no matter how strongly he tried to fight it.

"What's wrong with me?" He asked himself. "It's the end. She rejected me, there's nothing that I could..." He turned his sight away from her. He felt terribly, but he could hide it perfectly. He was the free dragon, got used to live in danger and cold calculations of risk. Whole the mind was screaming at him that Vixen wasn't worth his attention anymore, but heart still fought. "There was nothing between us. Absolutely nothing. Maybe..." Zheek doubted his words. "Maybe only loving slights, laughter and singing. Only some innocent hugs, nuzzles. And tears of pain and sorrow." The fire breather shook his head quickly. "No, there was nothing." He flew for a moment in peace of mind when new thoughts started invading him. "Nothing, but some feelings. Not deep, only... very deep." Zheek hissed angrily. "Just cut it out! It's pathetic. To dream of her..." He sighed deeply. "It's done. We are done." Zheek gave the black dragoness stealthy sight. "She's so close and yet..." He sighed deeply. "Beyond my reach." Zheek turned his head away sadly. "There's nothing between us. Only... only love." It was really hard for the fire breather to abandon his feelings just like that, but he knew that if he wanted to live on, he had to do it sooner or later. "Once it's all done, I'm leaving. Where? I have no idea, but it will be far, far away. Not to the city. And Farady..." Zheek turned his head at her. "She should remain in some dragon city, it would work well for her. I'll promise her that I'll return to her one day and she'd wait there." Zheek gave Vixen another stealthy sight. "There was nothing between us, but love." He whispered it to himself for probably thousandth time during this flight. He couldn't understand why had Vixen done such a thing to him. "If she didn't love me, why didn't she make it clear at the very beginning?" Was Zheek angry at that little dragoness? He didn't really know the answer to this question. Sometimes he'd love to kneel before her and beg her for... for what? Love? That would be ridiculous. In other moments he'd simply kiss her once more, just to enjoy touch of her lips and beg in his mind that she would say "yes". But then, anger would overwhelm him as he'd watch her with condemn and feel temptation to do something bad to her. He regretted such thoughts and would always release himself from their influence the fastest he could, but they would attack him again sooner or later anyway. There was a thin border between passionate love and cruel hatred and in fire breather's heart, for which Vixen was first love, it started cracking already. Zheek turned his head away from Vixen to notice that Farady was grinning.

"What is it, sister?" The fire breather asked curiously.

"We're already there, moron." Farady explained with such a voice, as if it was crystal clear. In fact, it would be obvious for Zheek, if only his broken heart gave him privilege of focusing on anything. Several seconds later, there could be heard roar of the waterfall. In next two minutes they reached the place. All the dragons landed before the waterfall. Candice watched it carefully.

"So, you say the cave's behind it." The ice guardian recalled, looking for any way to enter there without wetting herself. Several dragons nodded. "Looks like we'll get wet a little."

"Yeah." Stella agreed sadly and then, she jumped through the wall of water. She turned around and waited for her friends. Sable smiled slightly. He entered the cave right behind her, but he walked the hidden path thanks to which, he remained dry. The lightning guardian watched him with surprise.

"Actually, there's a way not to get wet." Sable noticed smiling slightly.

"I'll remember that." Stella promised with hint of annoyance.

The dragons made themselves at home really quickly, the cave was just enough for all of them. It was already the night when almost ten of them were sleeping. Viola slowly headed outside, carefully passing by the waterfall not to fall into the water, as Dante already had, to everyone's amusement. The azure dragoness saw gentle fire light of already dying out bonfire, but heard nothing but waterfall's roar. She saw some dragon sitting next to the fire, making use of the very last rays of light. She sat next to him and nuzzled him.

"Hey, sweetie, don't you think it's time to sleep?" Viola noticed. Sable watched her carefully.

"Maybe." He agreed reluctantly.

"Don't overtire yourself, it never ends up well." The azure dragoness warned.

"There are so many things to be planned, so many details and still, I won't be able to guarantee that everything goes according to it. We have to avoid Core no matter what and leading a group from the entrance to Throne Hall where will be Verdad without passing by it so terribly hard. No speaking of entering Celeste Tribu. It won't be easy part either." The lightning dragon couldn't help smiling, as he felt being nuzzled gently by his mate. "No one ever has assassinated Señor de la Tribu from outside."

"Assassinate. This word sounds so... filthy. Don't you think?" Viola noticed.

"It does, but we shouldn't cover our plans in cloak of beautiful words to explain ourselves." Sable agreed sadly.

"We should neither ignore the reasons of our actions when they're right. We're doing this in order to protect our family." The azure dragoness argued. She leaded their conversation this path on purpose. She knew that it was bothering him in last days.

"I know, but..." The medic sighed deeply. "I'm excited about killing Verdad. This is what worries me. I've never been excited about bringing death. It's wrong."

"Sable..." The azure dragoness nuzzled her mate gently. He felt really stressed. "Verdad is responsible for death of your parents and Crag, he tried to kill you, whole your family and your closest friends just because of his imaginary apprehensions. You hate him and it's natural. I hate from the bottom of my heart the one who wanted to kill our children. There's nothing wrong about it and there will be nothing wrong about killing him, as long as we do it not in anger or act of revenge, but in order to protect our family." The ice dragoness argued. Sable smiled slightly and nuzzled his mate. He started feeling a little better now.

"But once we kill Verdad, I'm done with bloodshed." He promised himself.

"We all are." Viola agreed. She watched her mate carefully. He still was bothered by something more and she knew what. For first fifteen years of his life he was raised as the prince of Celeste Tribu, the one who was supposed to protect its citizens with his own chest. And now, he was going to shed blood not only of Verdad, but also many of his soldiers. He had already done it and she knew that even if he killed to protect his friends, he didn't feel good about it. But it was Sable's duty towards his family and he would do it. Viola perfectly knew that he would kill as many wyverns as it was necessary to protect the ones who he loved.

"I can't wait to return to our kids." Sable confessed.

"Me too. I'm so excited just thinking about it." Viola agreed. "They must be missing us terribly. Oh, just a little more and we'll hug them again." She couldn't help smiling blissfully, as she thought about it.

"Or we will be watching them from above." The medic noticed with gloomy voice. Viola burst out with laugh and poked her mate with shoulder.

"Come on, don't be so pessimistic." She pleased, knowing that he didn't really think so, but said it half-jokingly. "The only reason why we may watching them from above is that they're still little hatchlings."

"Didn't I mean it?" Sable grinned provocatively.

"No, you didn't." The azure dragoness refused.

"I did!" The medic announced proudly.

"No, you didn't!" Viola couldn't believe that her mate really thought that she would agree to him.

"Yeah, I di..." Then, Sable burst out with sudden laugh, as Viola tickled his hinder paw. The ice dragoness grinned devilishly. "Hey, stop or..." He couldn't say anything, desperately trying to release himself from her grasp. He really disliked being tickled, even though it looked like he was splitting his sides with laughter.

"Did you mean it?" Viola asked, as she started tickling his belly as well.

"Ye..." Sable wasn't able to finish this word, as he burst out with sudden laugh. "No!" He shouted, giving up after a moment of tortures more. His mate finally dropped him. The lightning dragon rolled away from her for a meter and took a deep breath. "Never ever do this again." He watched her deadly serious. Viola laughed silently.

"And why not?" She asked insolently and walked to Sable. But this time, his tail wrapped around her paw, brought her to the ground and Sable started tickling her. It appeared that the ice dragoness was even more vulnerable to it than her mate. She was trying to say anything, but once she'd make some articulated voice, Sable would tickle her even more intensively, so that she would only laugh louder, almost choking. "Sto..." She tried to say anything, but Sable was giving his best not to let her do it.

"Now you see? Now you see?" The lightning dragon asked, still tickling her. After a moment he dropped her. His mate laid on the ground, breathing quickly.

"Dear ancestors, why..." A pause for several breaths. The lightning dragon gave her amused sight, which meant something like: now you know how I felt. "Don't do it never ever. I hate being tickled." The ice dragoness said with begging voice. Sable smiled and laid next to her.

"I will not." He kissed her cheek. "I'll protect you from anyone that would ever mean to tickle you." He promised half-jokingly. "I will protect you." The lightning dragon whispered, this time with no joking hint.

"I will protect you too." Viola assured, nuzzling her mate. In face of what they were about to do within only days, both of them worried about each other. And yet, they were determined to do whatever it would take to protect each other. With time bonfire died out completely covering the couple in shadows, but neither of them moved. All they needed was warmth of each other's body.

Vixen opened her eyes quickly. The sleep didn't bring her any relief in her suffering. How could it when she kept dreaming of Zheek? For a first moment, she was absolutely convinced that her dreams were true, that he had confessed his love to her once more and she didn't commit a mistake. But it was just a dream. The black dragoness sighed deeply. She stood up slowly, wondering if she shouldn't lay down again and try to sleep, to dream a little more. She shook her head giving up on that idea. By sleeping she would change nothing after all. Vixen headed to the exit, the roar of waterfall was getting louder and louder. As she noticed, there was only Ivory inside, sleeping with shallow sleep. Then, she walked a narrow path avoiding getting wet while leaving the cave. The black dragoness raised her head to realize that it was already the midday. "I've been sleeping this long?" She asked herself with disbelief. When she was imprisoned by Clavius, she'd rarely sleep for long, for last five years she had got used to short, just three or four hours long sleep. "Things are changing." She whispered to herself while watching her companions." Everyone was sitting around the bonfire, discussing something silently. Well, almost everyone. "Hey!" She grinned to them, wearing a mask of cheerfulness and all dragons except Zheek greeted her. "Where are Tris and Dante?" She noticed curiously.

"They went to look for some wood, we've ran out of it completely." Sable explained. "They were as mad as hornets at each other so we can expect them to be back late." He added.

"Will you help us?" Stella asked, while studying some plans of Celeste Tribu that Tremor had brought with himself. She had to admit that it had been a perfect idea.

"I'll go for hunting." The black dragoness declared, as she watched carefully the bonfire looking for even a smallest piece of meat. She was hungry as a bear. She sighed sadly with disappointment just a moment later. "So, is anyone going with me?" She asked watching everyone, but her eyes stopped on Zheek. With such expressionless face he would make a perfect negotiator, no one would even notice what was going on in his mind. But Vixen kept watching him stealthily and yet, yearningly.

"I'd better go for some wood. If you're right, Sable, then we won't see Dante or Tris until the evening." The fire breather turned at the lightning dragon. "Let's go, Farady." He suggested. His sister nodded, two dragons stood up and disappeared in the forest. Vixen sighed deeply and headed in opposite side. She didn't mind Sable or others not joining, they all were focusing on plans. She only wished Zheek said anything.

"Wait, I'll go with you." Cynder appeared next to her and offered. Vixen smiled slightly, seemingly joyfully, even though her heart was overfilled with sadness because of Zheek's reaction.

"Fine." Two dragonesses walked deeply into the forest. They had been walking in silence for a while before they got far away from the camp. Cynder kept watching Vixen with worries. She knew that something was wrong. She could even guess what was it.

"Another year printed in our hearts

Sealing new sign of the past." Vixen started singing silently. The another dragoness watched her carefully. She had heard her singing only once; when she was dying after being wounded by her father. In both songs; from now and then, there could be felt nostalgia.

"We're raising hesitantly like little hatchlings,

Like gentle cherry flowers…" The black dragoness was stepping slowly. She felt so small, so helpless in far too many matters.

"Though sometimes sky hides its starts

The path of ours seems pointless...

Though sometimes we lack the strength to search

And the air in our lungs feels so exhausted." Vixen sung with hopelessness overfilling her voice. Her and Cynder's sights met for a second, there could be seen a tear. The little dragoness turned her head away quickly.

"Then there remains only one hope…

That one day it will be better." Her voice sounded a little more optimistic. But only a little. The despair could be still felt in it.

"And with our friends around us,

One day we'll catch our luck." Vixen finished her song and hung her head sadly, smiling slightly, though. She couldn't really help it, she loved singing.

"That's… beautiful song." Cynder admitted.

"Thank you, I composed it years ago, after my father's death. Later I improved it in Celeste." Vixen turned at her and smiled gently. "You know, I needed to spend whole this time somehow, so I improved my singing."

"So, you..." The another dragoness started.

"I wanted to talk with you about something." Vixen interrupted her.

"What is it?" The black dragoness asked curiously. She would most likely talk about youngster's troubles, but if Vixen wanted, this conversation could wait for some time. After all, they weren't hurrying anywhere, were they?

"When we were travelling to Celeste Tribu, we stopped in Dante's Freezer." She started.

"Was it cold?" Cynder asked.

"The blizzard we fell at? Terribly." Vixen confirmed.

"Then you should scold Dante for that." The older of dragonesses suggested. Both of them smiled slightly.

"Oh, that liar said it was beyond him." The small dragoness said with cheerful, sham hint of annoyance. "Anyway, Sable told us there a story how he and his father met you many years ago and I recalled that my father knew yours. I thought that you'd want to know it." Cynder watched her companion with disbelief. She sat down and so did another dragoness.

"Your father knew my parents?" Her eyes grew wide. The younger of dragonesses bobbed her head. "What were their names?" Cynder asked. She had never known them and at last, she could...

"I'm sorry, but I don't know them." Vixen hung her head sadly. "All that I know is that they had been close friends to my father when he was travelling across the dragon lands as a prince."

"I see." Cynder whispered sadly. Vixen gave her an apologizing sight for giving her deceptive hope. Then some idea appeared in her head.

"You know, dad told Sable once a story about your ancestor, his name was..." Vixen focused. She had heard that story from her brother years earlier. "Certo. And he had a close friend, Crona, they were a couple, sort of. It was complicated." The black dragoness shook her head. "Anyway, his niece, Pip, is your ancestor in straight line, as my dad said. Certo was black dragon with one his eye red and another blue, that's why I remembered him. Crona was white with scales on her chest and underbelly dark." Cynder watched Vixen carefully. "What is it?" The young dragoness was sure that her companion must have fallen on some idea.

"I've seen them already with a couple of hatchlings. They live beyond time like Chronicler. They appeared before me and Spyro soon before Venganza's attack. So Certo's my ancestor." Cynder smiled slightly. "That's why he seemed so familiar to me."

"So, what will you do about it?" Vixen asked curiously.

"In Teria, there's library containing the genealogic tree of many dragon families, maybe if I went there, I could find something." Cynder explained. Her friend giggled.

"What a perfect idea! We'll go there once we're done here, I'll help you in the research." She offered.

"Thank you."

"I'm glad that I could help." Vixen smiled sadly, somehow ironically. Cynder noticed this hint, though hidden.

"So, how can I help you?" The younger of dragonesses turned her sight away. She didn't feel like talking about it.

"I am... fine. I'll be fine." She assured with uncertain voice. Cynder just smiled.

"I used to lie with exactly this same words." She confessed.

"When?" Vixen wondered.

"Years ago, when I and Spyro were heading to Warfang for the first time, you know, bound to each other with that magical chain. In Valley of Avalar, we met some hermit. He recognized me, as Terror of Skies and told me that I could run, but I couldn't hide from Malefor and foretold that my story would have bad end." Cynder explained.

"I guess it's wonderful feeling when you're bound with such a chain with someone you love. Somehow uncomfortable, but still, wonderful." The little dragoness guessed. Her companion laughed silently.

"Well, it wasn't comfortable, most likely because I still didn't realize that I loved him. For all the time, I was desperately trying to get rid of it and Sparx had so much fun of me..." Cynder sighed and smiled slightly. "You should have seen me when Ignitus told us that he wasn't able to remove it. I was like you have got to be kidding me! But now, I wouldn't mind at all. Even though it could be terrible pain in the tail. But I digress, we were supposed to talk about you now." The black dragoness admonished herself. Vixen just shrugged carelessly.

"If you have to..."

"Vixen, you play as if nothing happened, but something's bothering you and now I see it clearly. And I think I even know what's the reason." Hearing that, Vixen watched her companion curiously.

"I'm listening."

"Zheek rejected you when you confessed your love to him, didn't he? You look as if you were broken hearted." Cynder guessed and the another dragoness smiled ironically.

"It was... completely opposite." In Vixen's eye there appeared a tear and Cynder, seeing that she's on the verge of crying aloud, hugged her friendly. "I rejected him. For ancestors' sake, we were laying under a mistletoe, he confessed love to me, we kissed, I loved him and yet, I rejected him!" She burst out with cry. "Under a mistletoe! How could I screw this up?!" She asked , mad at herself.

"No one is perfect." Cynder noticed.

"But no one is this stupid to waste such a..." Vixen didn't finish her sentence because of her crying.

"It's not lost yet." The black dragoness assured her.

"And how can you know it?" Her young companion asked silently. Cynder smiled slightly.

"Because I've heard Tremor and Candice's story about their confession. Trust me, there's still a chance." She assured. "You just can't give up."

"So, what am I supposed to do?" Vixen asked, giving her friend a sight desperately begging for help.

"Find courage and tell it him." Cynder advised.

"But how? He keeps avoiding me." The little dragoness hung her head helplessly. "I'll never find an opportunity to stand face to face with him all alone and tell him."

"You don't need to be all alone with him." Her companion suggested.

"You mean me to tell him when…" Vixen interrupted in half of a sentence and Cynder nodded slightly. "No way. I… I…"

"Confess it to him when he can't avoid you, when we all will be around. You need to surprise him, so that he had no chance to escape. And then, if he loves you, he will say yes. He has to." The black dragoness explained her idea. "Treat it as hunting."

"Zheek's terribly good hunter, you know? It won't be easy to hunt him." Vixen noticed bitterly. "To tell him when he can't avoid me." She wondered for a moment and then, grin appeared on her face. "I have an idea. I think it may even work out. But I need to prepare."

"Worried about watchers?" Cynder guessed.

"A little." Vixen confirmed. "But the main reason is that I can't do it right away, just like that."

"So, what do you plan?" The black dragoness asked curiously.

"Something special for my beloved." Vixen avoided telling any other details and noticed Cynder's disappointment. "Give me several days and you will see. I don't want to spoil the surprise." She explained herself with an apologizing hint.

"That's fine. So, let's hunt something, shall we?" The black dragoness suggested. Her friend, so similar to her that an accidental passerby could call them sisters, nodded slightly and two dragonesses headed forward, planning to hunt some dinner.

"Thank you." Vixen whispered silently and Cynder replied her with gentle smile. And then, the hunting began.


	55. Chapter 54

Chapter 54. "Something ends, something begins"

Celeste Tribu. Celestial. Sky. Moon. Night. Shadows. Dark… Oscuro. The wyvern prince sighed deeply. He never knew why he was called like this. Every name had its hidden meanings, so why was he called "dark"? Oscuro smiled to himself sadly. "I think I understand now. Darkness is my kingdom, this is where I feel comfortable." He said silently. He felt so alone. The prince watched two white marble graves before him. In both of them, there were stuck royal blades of his brothers: Clavius's dagger and Cobro's sword. They were gone. His closest family. He had so many memories of them. He remembered Clavius's hatching, as a youngster he was such an adorable type... The conferment of swords, at first Cobro's, later his and the very ending Clavius's. Both of brothers kept making fun of him that he couldn't even carry his great sword, they kept promising him that he'd be the worst fencer ever. How ironic... The prince remembered their education: Cobro not really cared, absolutely convinced that Sable or Sonrisa would become the next Señor de la Tribu, but he studied some other matters, even though he wasn't really talented. Clavius, who had already become literally Cobro's sidekick, focused on fencing, ignoring any other education completely. And Oscuro would be giving his best to show that he was worth of becoming the next king. Sable never really cared about this title, he kept showing it with his ignorant attitude. The years were passing and with turnover and Sable and Sonrisa's banishment everything changed. Now, Cobro started making up what he had ignored in previous years, especially policy. That was the moment when Oscuro finally gave up on becoming king and promised himself that he'd support the future king with both word and sword. And Clavius started loving to give pain. Once, when two of them travelled to Soleado Valle where Oscuro learnt his earth, his younger brother explained him that he loved giving pain. As much as the other prince loved Luna, just a secret romance back then, this much his brother enjoyed watching other's suffering and bloodshed. He would always grin devilishly and say that he would be a terrible king, that's why he didn't care about policy. He never even tried to refuse that he was kind of psychopathic. Kind of... Oscuro would laugh to the darkness surrounding him, if only his drowning in sorrow heart would let him. He recalled how Cobro and Leal became a couple. At first, he was really happy, he believed that they would be happy together, not even expecting that this lizard could be only using his older brother. Well, in Leal's matter his older brother was blind, he could never notice her deception. But if it was about anything else, he could see everything crystal clear. Cobro always knew that Oscuro would be much better king than him and that's possibly one of reasons why he supported his and Luna's marriage- to lower Oscuro's chances. Or maybe was it just brother's favor? It looked like it would remain just another of hundreds questions with no answers which now where completely lost. For example Sable. Oscuro remembered that Cobro was obsessed to be better in everything than him, expect studying, of course. And why? Possibly because of Leal and his envy. Or deeply in his heart he always had an ambition to become Señor de la Tribu. Or maybe... Oscuro sighed deeply. He still couldn't believe that Cobro fell to Sable. Fifteen years earlier he won, right? And since then, the wyvern kept training and training to get stronger and Sable? Yes, he became Cuarto Vengantimo, but for last six years he had done nothing, only sparred occasionally with some youngster, Tris was her name? And Cobro's gone now. Something ends. Something begins. Now he was the heir to the throne. He had to be strong. Oscuro hissed painfully, as he touched his bandaged chest. Almost two weeks and the wound that dragon guardian laid on him still hurt. He had never been seriously wounded, he had always been too good fighter. Tremor was very interesting person in his opinion. He had already heard of him, cocky, confident, reckless, but very good hearted and protective. And first of all, fighting to the very end, as it befitted this blindly hopeful dragon, as he heard. But what fascinated him in that dragon was that Tremor not only believed that, as he had heard once "none case is lost, as long as at least one person fights for it". He, oppositely to the most of those babbling this idealistic crap, proved that his words were true with his own actions. Standing still, protecting the ones he cared about when he theoretically should have already bled to death? Or when they met... Tremor was slower than him, much slower, and Oscuro had never lost to anyone in the close distance. Then why did he lay a blow on him? Oscuro sighed deeply. The next time they would meet, he would kill him. At first those siblings, later Tremor. It wasn't anything personal, at least not about the guardian. But if they were to start a war- and they most likely were- than he'd rather not to face Tremor when he would protect his kind. That would be very hard duel. Oscuro closed his eyes. Since he had heard his father's plans, he kept looking forward into future. Not without fear, he had to admit that, but he kept doing it. He had to, he knew that there would be much of bloodshed before him.

"I've been looking for you." Oscuro heard a male voice behind him. He didn't turn around, he didn't have to recognize the newcomer. A wyvern, much older than him, sat by his side.

"I am here, father." The prince watched king carefully. "What brings you here?"

"Is everything set?" Verdad asked with calm, emotionless voice. The wyvern nodded slowly.

"Almost. I've already gathered a team, we're finishing the details of our plan. In next week, we'll set out." Oscuro promised. "I'm full of apprehensions, father." He confessed.

"What bothers you?"Señor de la Tribu watched his son with worries.

"This all. Dragons. We mean to challenge them and they're not something that we can take lightly." Oscuro sighed deeply. "I've decided to kill Tremor and, if that's possible, one more guardian more." He said.

"Why is that so?" Verdad asked curiously.

"I know, such dishonorable move doesn't fit me at all, but something changed in me. If we kill two guardians and kidnap two others, we'll cause chaos, at least for some time. I really want to kill Tremor because…" There, the prince smiled slightly with bitter irony. "He's good fighter and even laid a blow on me. I'd rather not to face him again. I guess it's kind of personal, isn't it?"

"No, not really." The king disagreed. "It's just good business, this is good idea to eliminate the ones who are threat to our plan."

"Yes, I think so." Oscuro agreed, though he still wasn't really sure. "So, what will we do about Leal?" He asked.

"She will be advising me for the time being. And later, we shall see." Verdad explained.

"You must be very careful about her, father. She keeps planning something big right behind our backs." Oscuro warned. "I'm disturbed with her confidence."

"She's wise despite her youth, her advices are very precious to me."The king noticed.

"As long as she wishes her advices to work well for us." Oscuro said with skeptical hint. "I'd love to get rid of her, to be honest." He confessed.

"It would be waste, don't you think, son?" Verdad noticed.

"As for me, necessary waste." Oscuro disagreed. "I could even call it investment in my family."

"It's getting too personal for you, Oscuro. You should avoid it."Señor de la Tribu admonished his son.

"It is a little. I'm mad about Leal's attitude about her mate's death; as if nothing had happened. But it's not just it, she had been plotting something for quite long already. Will you do anything about her now?"

"No, I won't, but if you're worried, then I'll be very careful about her and make sure that she doesn't plan anything." Verdad promised. "And when you become Señor de la Tribu, you can banish her or do about her whatever you want. You will know where will be her place." He noticed. Two wyverns were sitting in silence for some time, watching two graves. The minutes were passing slowly, as each of them was losing himself in thousands thought.

"From three of you, you've always been outstanding."Verdad finally interrupted the silence. "You could easily outsmart both Clavius and Cobro, you were better than them in absolutely everything. That scared me a little, I have to admit. You and Cobro were exactly like me and Sueño. Normally, I'd without doubts put you on the throne, but still, I chose him. I didn't want the situation from years earlier to repeat; takeover of throne should be just an incident, not rule." Hearing that, Oscuro just smiled bitterly.

"It's quite selfish of you, don't you think? To use such dirty move and expect no one to repeat it." He noticed.

"Yes, a little." The king agreed. "The point of mine is that I kept raising Cobro as the future Señor de la Tribu and I forgot about you, making sure that you'd live in brother's shadow."

"Dark...Oscuro." The prince whispered. "You have specific sense of humor to call your son like that, don't you think?"

"Blame your mother for that. The name was only her idea. She knew it would be like this." Verdad disagreed. "She was such a wise person. You definitely take after her." Señor de la Tribu sighed nostalgically. "Anyway, I wanted to say that I've never meant you to become king, but now, I not really have a choice. Still, I believe that you'll make excellent Señor de la Tribu one day despite even that singer you call your mate."

"You've never liked Luna or Araceli, have you?" Oscuro asked sadly, perfectly knowing his father's attitude to his family. He not really liked discussing that subject.

"No, I haven't." Verdad agreed. "But I have choice to get rid of her or accept her and I not really see a possibility to do the former in the way that would satisfy us all. All I want to ask you about is that you'll have a son. Araceli isn't someone that can lead the tribe."

"And why isn't she?" Oscuro asked, surprised with such words.

"Firstly, because she's a female. Secondly, her mother is just a singer, not noble. It will be hard for her to gain nobility's respect."Señor de la Tribu explained.

"I may have a son, but if she appears to be better possible ruler, then I'll choose Araceli. I'll make sure that she'll be good and powerful queen. If only Araceli proves herself to be worth it, she'll be queen of Celeste. And I'll make sure of that, even if it costs me life." Oscuro disagreed. His father watched him carefully and sighed deeply.

"If that's your choice..."

"There passed whole two weeks and still, I haven't told him." Vixen was watching her reflection in water of flowing stream, not very clearly seen now because water was flowing quickly. "Am I ready to do this?" She whispered, watching her arms shaking in stress. "I have to do this now, right? Tomorrow we attack and we can't even tell, if we meet again. I have to do this now, but..." The dragoness took a deep breath trying to calm herself down. "It's the time to tell him. I'm ready. I have to be." She closed her eyes and started breathing slowly, trying to relax. Then, she heard some steps and someone stood by her side.

"What's wrong, sister?" Sable asked with worries. Vixen smiled slightly.

"That's nothing." She nuzzled him thankfully. "I appreciate the care. So, let's go to the others, shall we?" She suggested. The lightning dragon bobbed his head and siblings headed to the bonfire where others were already sitting in a circle. Sable sat next to Viola and at his other side Vixen placed herself. The lightning dragon watched everyone carefully.

"So this is the last moment when you can back off. Anyone?" Sable and Vixen's eyes stopped on each dragon for several seconds, but no one said a word, only Tris nuzzled her mate and kissed him lovingly. Vixen had to admit that she was envy about them that despite serious quarrel they could get reconciled just like that, in a day or two and live on as if nothing had happened. The former Cuarto smiled. "No worries, that's the only stupid question of mine this evening." He assured and everyone laughed silently. Cynder watched Vixen meaningfully.

"Now?" Vixen didn't say it, but only moved her lips soundlessly. She saw the older black dragoness nodding slowly. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then, she stood up and entered the circle.

"Everyone..." She made a break, unsure what to tell. "I wanted to..." The words of speech prepared so neatly now were escaping her mind. Cynder's warm sight gave her some courage to continue. "No one is perfect. I know that it sounds like some cheap excuse for the mistakes, but it's true. I keep committing those, as if it was some kind of hobby to me. " She smiled bitterly to herself. "But some time ago, not more than two weeks, I made probably the greatest mistake of my life. Now..." She took a deep breath. "Now, I want to repair it." The black dragoness took a deep breath, for the first time since standing up, she watched Zheek. Their sights met, even if only for a second.

"Be mine tonight...

We'll travel through all our memories," Vixen stared singing with gentle, melodious voice. Zheek watched her with disbelief, his jaws opened slightly.

"In our own little space in time,

You've always been mine." Vixen confessed, watching the fire breather with loving sight. She smiled to him sadly with some hint that he couldn't call.

"In this heart,

There'll never be another." The little black dragoness placed a paw on her chest. She made a step forward to him. Zheek's heart skipped a beat, as he felt excitement overwhelm him. He finally understood her smile- it was begging for forgiveness.

"Through the laughter and the tears

You've conquered all my fears." She sung silently, as she jumped gently and landed gracefully before him. And then, she placed her paw on his. Her deep, green eyes were already lost in his.

"Take my paw.

Nothing can come between us." Her fingers grasped his and pulled gently in inviting gesture. Zheek stood up, between their lips there were only centimeters of warm, summer night air. He'd never be able to refuse to her.

"We were always meant to be

Forever, you and me." Vixen whispered to her beloved, as her eyes locked on his and they were dancing slowly, holding each other's paw lovingly. The fire breather didn't know what was happening, he never expected things to turn out like this. Was it a dream?

"So many stories...

So many treasures...

So much our lives have shared." The black dragoness said this sadly, hanging her head down for a second. Zheek watched her carefully, realizing that in fact, she really loved him. He could feel that she was so sorry for that incident from earlier.

"We've done it all and we've done it together.

You know I've always cared." She looked him again carefully with tear in her eyes sending him unspoken begging to forgive her for how badly she treated him. Zheek smiled slightly. How could he have not forgiven her?

"In my eyes

Your face is always before me." Vixen's lips enclosed to his, a tear of joy fell flown down her cheek, as she saw her beloved's grin.

"Our souls are now as one.

We've only just begun..." The dragoness whispered. And then, she kissed Zheek passionately hugging him. At first, the fire breather watched her surprised, as if he wanted to say "but the others are watching", but her lips curled gently in amused grin as her eyes gave careless him sight like "so let them watch". They closed their eyes and lost themselves in passionate kiss. Did it last for just a second? Or maybe was it eternity? Did it really matter? When they finally interrupted the kiss, two dragons watched each other smiling slightly.

"I'm sorry. I love you." Vixen whispered.

"I love you too." The fire breather nuzzled her lovingly. And then, they heard all the dragons clapping them with congratulations. The black dragoness smiled slightly and shook her head in disbelief. She flushed slightly.

"Are you blushing?" Zheek noticed. Vixen gave him skeptical sight.

"Oh, and aren't you?" She riposted, smiling cheerfully. "Let's sit somewhere." She suggested. Two lovers placed themselves between Farady and Ivory. Vixen giggled, as Zheek kissed her cheek. She was so happy. At first she was terrified, if he wouldn't just reject her, but when he kissed her… Everything seemed so beautiful to her now. Sable watched his young sister and her boyfriend. He sighed deeply. He was glad to see her happy, but with that moron?

"So, does anyone else have any official announcement to tell us?" He asked half-jokingly. Then, his face turned serious. "Back to the subject, you all know the plans of Celeste Tribu." He started. Indeed, they all had whole two weeks to know those, each of them spent many hours learning them. "We will separate into three four-person teams: one of them will be me, Viola, Vixen and..."

"And Zheek." The black dragoness interrupted and licked his lover's cheek lovingly.

"And Zheek." Sable confirmed, still not believing that they really became a couple, out of sudden. "We're still not sure what should be the other two groups, but it would be the best, if they were balanced and each had a medic."

"I and Candy will go with Ivory." Tremor suggested. Ivory opened her jaws to refuse when Tremor placed a paw on her shoulder. "Trust us." He whispered to her.

"I don't trust myself." She riposted silently, but didn't say her objections aloud.

"I'll be the fourth." Farady declared. She trusted Tremor and knew that it would be the best, if Tris and Dante were in this same team.

"Then me, Cynder, Tris and Dante will be the last team." Stella summed up. "Can I explain the plan?" She asked Sable was its main creator.

"Yeah, there's no problem about it." The lightning dragon agreed and the guardian started telling others what they had come up in recent two weeks. In fact, all dragons took part in creating it so they knew it more or less, so all that she had to do was explaining the details. Despite that, it took her very long. The guardian, with other's help, told the group about all the possible dangers and traps, what places to avoid, where to go in any possible situation. They didn't choose one, simple route. It would be far too reckless and dangerous. When the plan was whole put out, the sun was just about to set. Stella yawned deeply, as she finished, even if it wasn't very late.

"It's time for us to sleep, isn't it? We all have to be rested tomorrow. After all, we need to leave in the middle of night to be around Celeste Tribu on the next morning." Viola noticed. No one refused. All the dragons stood up and started heading to the cave. There could be heard a sudden female squeak as Zheek took Vixen on his arm as if she was just a little hatchling. The black dragoness wrapped her arms around his neck and she sung silently.

"The spring and the stone, the grass and the leaves,

Everything tells me that somebody loves me..." Vixen kissed her lover's cheek.

"Water and fire keep repeating me...

That somebody loves me!" Then, they flew into the cave through the waterfall and Vixen interrupted to squeak with surprise. Everyone had already went inside there when the only ones to remain outside where Sable and Stella. The guardian watched her friend carefully, from his expression she knew that something was very wrong.

"What is it, Sable?" She asked.

"What?" The lightning dragon gave her dumbstruck sight, as he poured sand on the bonfire in order to extinguish it. "That's nothing, really."

"Really?" Stella watched the medic skeptically. "Look into my eyes and repeat it, will you?" She pleased. Sable turned at her, looked deeply into her eyes. Then, he sighed and turned his eyes away focusing on the waterfall behind which, there was hidden their home.

"Have you ever watched your little sister's beloved and felt your paws clenching involuntarily?" Sable asked her. Stella burst out with laugh at first, but then, she estimated Sable's expression.

"Are you serious?" She asked. The lightning dragon bobbed his head once. "Well, I haven't felt like that ever, but my cousin… that's another story." She smiled slightly.

"What happened?" The medic asked curiously.

"He has a sister four years younger than him and since she met her boyfriend, he hated him. He believed that that guy wasn't someone proper for her. And when they confessed love to each other, the cousin simply beaten him up." Stella explained.

"How seriously?" Sable wondered, disturbingly curious about the details. The guardian watched him carefully, but continued.

"Broken jaw and wing, twisted leg, lots of bruises." Stella clarified. And then, Sable grinned ominously.

"You know, I have an idea." He said. It was pretty obvious what kind of idea it was.

"Sable, it won't help, even if you beat Zheek to unconsciousness. That guy became my cousin's mate anyway." Stella watched him skeptically.

"Maybe it won't, maybe it will. But I'm sure that I'll feel a little better." He noticed. The guardian just sighed deeply. Being beaten by angry former Vengantimo? It looked like Ivory would have pretty much job to do once they'd all be back to Warfang.

"Males… Why is violence so often the simplest solution to you?" She asked with remorse, but smiling slightly. "Thanks ancestors Infernus isn't like that." She sighed with relief. „I think." She added after a second. Sable just shrugged.

"Hey, I'm joking about beating Zheek up, right? It's not that it's the best solution, but the only one that remains." The lightning dragon disagreed. "And besides, it's not like only males use violence to solve some of their problems. Females do as well." He argued.

"What? No, we don't!" Stella refused immediately, indignant with such a suggestion. Then, the lightning dragon gave her skeptical sight. "When did I use violence to solve my problems?"

"Your academy office." Sable noticed. The guardian opened her jaws to say something. "Three years ago." Sable added. Stella closed her mouth slowly, she blushed gently, as her eyes avoided his, ashamed.

"But this remains between us!" She demanded, as she turned back at him after a moment of awkward silence. Sable laughed silently.

"Of course, it does." He agreed with amusement.

"So, shall we be going? Tomorrow's the great day after all." The guardian suggested. Sable sighed deeply and kicked some pile of sand extinguishing the fire for good.

"Great… Crucial, that's true. But great?" He turned at Stella and watched deeply into her eyes. "So much bloodshed, so much death brought by a simple medic." Stella said nothing, only gave him optimistic sight. Across Sable's lips, there danced slight smile. "Yes, it will be the great day. After all, from the very next day, I'll cut off my sign of the past for once and for good, for that it will never haunt me." In his eyes, there could be seen a hint of worries. "At least I believe so." He added uncertainly. Stella poked his shoulder friendly.

"There's nothing to worry. Once we kill Verdad, it's all over." She promised. "Now, let's go sleeping." She suggested. Sable bobbed his head once.

"Yeah, let's go." He agreed smiling slightly. Two dragons headed straight to their cave, not worrying anymore what would happen the next day. They would have far too much time and too many reasons to keep worrying once the sun rises.

"Could you explain me why have you brought me here?" Keezheekoni asked, watching his sister carefully. His voice could be barely heard because of the roar of the waterfall right next to them. The fire breather looked around. "What time is it, by the way?"

"It's still the middle of night, more or less." Farady explained. "And I wanted to talk with you about you."

"What is it?" Zheek asked with such a voice, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Vixen." The free dragoness clarified.

"Her?" He sounded actually surprised. "And what's wrong?" Farady just sighed deeply.

"Do you really mean to live in Warfang?" She asked with disbelief.

"Of course. Vixen not really has any place that she can call home, but this one is definitely the closest one to this definition with all her friends living in there." Zheek noticed.

"But… but you're free dragon, Zheek! You cannot live in town!" Farady scolded him.

"Why not?" The fire breather asked, brutally honest.

"Because… Dear ancestors, Zheek! The city, especially as great as Warfang, will only bind you! It's not a place for us, free spirits." Zheek just smiled slightly.

"You know, I think I've already given up on some of my freedom in the moment I kissed Vixen." He said with blissful voice. Farady just snorted angrily.

"Don't say it with pride!" She scolded him. "Just look at yourself! Where's your pride as the free dragon? What's wrong with you?"

"It's love. And I not really think it's wrong." The fire breather grinned to her blissfully and poked her shoulder as if she was just a little hatchling. "I can't really help it. I'm going to Warfang."

"But... You can't! You're my little brother, I'm supposed to look after you! And I'm not going there." She declared firmly.

"Then our paths separate here." Zheek noticed sadly. "Come there with me. It won't be so bad, I promise." He smiled slightly, assuring her. Farady watched him doubtfully for a moment.

"I... No, I can't!" She refused, shaking her head and turning her sight away from the fire breather. "I don't want to go to the city. It's not my place."

"Farady, please..." Zheek grasped her chin and turned her head to watch into her eyes. "For so many years we've been living in those forests hoping to get our vengeance. It's time to cut ourselves free from this past. With this next day, something ends and something begins. We can't stand still, it's time to move on, don't you think?" He noticed.

"I..." Farady sighed deeply. "I don't know." Then, she nuzzled her brother and smiled slightly. "Go to your beloved, have this hour of sleep more. I need..." She turned her head away to watch the darkness surrounding her. "I need to think this all through." Zheek bobbed his head once.

"Just don't stay here for too long." He suggested.

"I won't." Farady assured, as she sat with her back to the roaring waterfall. Something ends, something begins. Yeah, she could feel it with whole her body. Oscuro was beyond their reach, the revenge was not only pointless, but also impossible. But could she live in Warfang? Such enormous place...Everyone was lost in Warfang at first, as Ivory told her once. But would she ever find herself in there? The lightning dragoness sighed deeply, as her sight focused on the moons high above her. So it was going to be the end of her life in those forests as proud free dragoness? Most likely, even though she really didn't want this change to come. "Some things are beyond us, aren't they, Flush?" She smiled slightly to memories. She remembered how badly he wanted to save her parents from Oscuro, later at least her mother and when she was gone, he took care of them, little, lost hatchlings. For all those years nothing really changed. In Warfang, she was going to still be this same, little, lost hatchling. Well, almost nothing changed. This time, coming to the city would be her choice. More or less. Farady shook her head feeling pity about her own position. "I can't stop it already, can I? Let's just see what will tomorrow brings us."


	56. Chapter 55

Chapter 55. "Surprise!"

At the very dawn of the next day, Sable was already sitting outside thinking intensively. At some point, his little sister flew to him and sat by his side.

"Good morning, brother." She bided him smiling.

"Good morning." He returned the smile happily.

"You're worried, aren't you?" Vixen guessed, watching her brother carefully.

"A little. But it's not really about Celeste now." The lightning dragon assured.

"What then?"

"You, Vixen."

"Why?" She jerked her head curiously.

"You really love Zheek, don't you?" Sable asked.

"I do. I feel that he's truly the one." The black dragoness said confidently.

"Then…" He sighed deeply. "I've been thinking about your two a lot this night, not sure what to say, but I already know."

"So?" Vixen sounded really impatient.

"Who would I be to have a right to ruin your happiness?" He asked rhetorically. Then, he kissed her forehead. "May ancestors bless your two. You'll be a beautiful couple." He told her. Vixen laughed aloud.

"It surely took you a while to prepare yourself for such a word, didn't it?" She guessed, amused.

"It certainly did." Sable smiled lowering his head. "I had lots of apprehensions about Zheek, but seeing your two together I don't fear at all." He assured. Vixen giggled.

"I love you, my big brother." She licked his cheek.

"I love you, my little sister." Sable patted her head in patronizing way. Siblings spent whole the morning at the meadow, enjoying time together, very last calm moment before facing the king.

A group of twelve dragons landed silently several miles from Celeste Tribu. Until then, everything was going very smoothly. No one noticed them and they were there just in time. It was right after the dawn, in the moment when the tired, weary guards are the least focused.

"So, it's time to separate. See you, everyone." Tremor noticed.

"You remember the plan." Sable said. It sounded more like he stated a fact, not asked. The earth guardian nodded slightly. Farady smiled slightly and hugged her brother.

"Be careful." She pleased. The fire breather just grinned.

"No worries, I will." He assured. "Now, go." The lightning dragoness nodded and she joined Tremor, Candice and Ivory who had already headed on the east. Everyone watched them in silence for a moment.

"We should go as well, right?" Cynder suggested. All the dragons agreed and they headed at the northern-east to another entrance of Celeste Tribu. There were plenty of them, so they had great choice, but only two were located in such a way that if spotted too soon, dragons would be able to easily avoid being surrounded. And that was one of the reasons why only one group separated this far. The group of eight dragons sneaked to the another entrance. It took them not more than quarter. The entrance wasn't very big, one old dragon could barely turn around in it, but the gate looked very solid. There were three guards sitting on the ground and talking. All the dragons perfectly knew that they seemed not to care about the surrounding at all, but in fact, they were really focused, so even the slightest unpredicted noise of dragons' could ruin whole the plan. That was the reason why only Sable, Stella, Zheek and Cynder were right before it and the others waiting behind. The lightning dragon pointed at the fire breather. Zheek nodded slightly. He knew what to do.

"Dear ancestors, I'm so sleepy." The guard complained, as he leaned against the entering gate. He looked behind at writing calling it the eastern gate number eight. "All I dream about now is warm bed, you know?" He turned to his companions.

"Oh, quit it, Mika." The wyverness sitting right next to him electrified the wyvern with annoyed sight. "We're as tired as you, you know?" She noticed with hint of sarcasm. "Be happy that I'm on the duty right now, if I had to stand your complaining for whole night in some taberna then I swear..."

"Mika's better fighter than you, Ki." The third, last wyvern sitting there noticed.

"Oh and what do you know about it, geezer?" The wyverness called Ki asked angrily. Examining her face expression you could say that she must have been very frustrated with her company.

"Because Captain Cicatriz saw us training." Mika explained grinning.

"When? Yesterday when I barely stopped myself from twisting your arm? Or maybe a day earlier when you couldn't even stand up after a duel with me?" Ki riposted.

"Do you want to have a duel now?" The wyvern suggested.

"Yeah, why no..."

"Kids, silence." The oldest of wyverns interrupted his two young subordinates. He looked deeply into the bushes. "Show yourself dragon." He ordered. Two young guards rapidly stood up and made fighting stances, as they saw the earth dragon appearing from bushes.

"And I thought that green scales would help me." The earth dragon said to himself with disappointment. "Congratulations, Cicatriz."

"Will you try to fight us and then escape or just run away?" The captain asked. The dragon just laughed in reply.

"I'm the dragon guardian of earth, it would be dishonor for me to flee without even fight." Tremor noticed appearing from bushes. "Don't you think?" And then, two young wyverns jumped to him. They both swung their paws vertically at their opponent, but Tremor only grinned and leaned beneath their blows, blocked the other two and gave the male powerful hit of elbow in his face. Mika fell on the ground unconscious. The wyverness jumped back and then Tremor saw the old guard aiming at him with this fancy-gauntlet-like device which Vengantimos used to use to shoot the needles. He cursed silently, but managed to shield his throat from the deadly metal with an earth pillar. In that moment, there appeared Farady who jumped to the wyverness and in her favorite, how honorable, gesture poured sand into her eyes and knocked her out with blow of head. In this same moment Tremor attacked the third guard. He blocked both his paws when suddenly, a blow of magic threw him at some tree and the lightning electrocuted him to unconsciousness. Tremor sighed deeply and turned at Candice and Ivory appearing from the forest. He gave the medic regretful sight.

"I could deal with him, Ivory." He noticed.

"I know, but we're pretty short on time."Ivory noticed. She looked at three guards. "No bloodshed. That's quite good beginning, don't you think?"

"Well, the bloodshed is about to begin." Candice noticed gloomily. "Let's go." Four dragons entered the cave of Celeste Tribu. The fourth wyvern, watching whole the happening from above watched the dragons carefully, trying to remember their names. He didn't join the battle, because that was the order. He was supposed to watch others hidden and if they were attacked, he would quickly inform the tribe about it. "The dragon guardian of earth, Ivory, some ice dragoness and another lightning one." The wyvern noted in his mind. They perfectly chose the entrance. They knew that this tunnel had been sealed off for several months so a chance to meet a passerby were almost zero. The wyvern sighed deeply. If only they knew about him. The guard left his hideout and jumped in the air to quickly get to another entrance and deliver the news to Oscuro.

The prince Oscuro was sitting in his chamber and polishing his sword when he heard steps enclosing. He didn't turn around, but let his mate's wings surround him and her lips kiss his cheek. He took a deep breath, enjoying with his nostrils her angelic aroma. He never knew what herbs were that, he had only seen her once rubbing some transparent fluid in her gentle neck. Those herbs composed with smell of her body were creating a breath-taking combination, able to enchant every male. Or at least Oscuro.

"Hi, sweaty." Luna greeted her beloved with her beautiful, melodious voice.

"Hi." He smiled to her and licked her cheek gently. Like always, he felt temptation to ask her about those herbs, but once more, he decided not to. Some things are even more beautiful when they remain mysterious. "Is Araceli sleeping?"

"Like a little, cute log." Luna confirmed. "So, are you done with your blade?" She asked, watching his sword carefully.

"No, not yet." The prince refused sadly. "Give me a moment more and we'll go out, could you?" He pleased. The wyverness nodded and nuzzled his cheek.

"No problem at all, sweetheart." She assured. And then, the door opened as there appeared some wyverness. Luna watched her carefully. Basing on her ornamented armor, the princess assumed that she was a royal messenger. Oscuro turned around and recognized the newcomer without any problem.

"Oroescama, what brings you here?" He asked, concerned. He had really bad feelings about that visit. The wyverness only smiled slightly, confirming his apprehensions.

"I've been reported that dragons attacked the eastern gate number eight." She explained. Oscuro watched her with disbelief.

"Attacked? Are you sure that this information is true?" He asked, not believing.

"Yes. The four attackers are the dragon guardian of earth, Ivory, some another white ice dragoness and the last one, yellow." Oroescama clarified. Oscuro hissed angrily.

"Tremor, that idiot... And the white dragoness must be their ice guardian." He took his sword and hid in the scabbard. "Could they possibly be that reckless? Dear ancestors, they've entered Celeste Tribu! I meant to capture them and now, I have them practically served on a golden plate." He sounded really furious.

"So, what do we do now?" Luna asked.

"You stay here and look after Araceli." The prince ordered.

"What?!" His mate watched him with disbelief written all over her face.

"There's no time to argue. We have at least eight dragons inside Celeste Tribu and no idea what is their plan." Oscuro said.

"But there are four..." Luna tried to argue.

"And where do you think are the remaining ones, if not breaking in Celeste Tribu?" The prince noticed. He looked deeply into her mate's eyes. "Listen to me, take Araceli and go to Small Core, you'll be safer there than here. Wait there until I return, understood?" Luna tried to argue. "Understood?" Oscuro repeated himself watching his mate deadly seriously. She could read from his eyes that he was scared about her. And if he was, he had a serious reason.

"Fine. What do you plan?" She asked. Oscuro just sighed deeply.

"As long they were only escaping, I was stealthily supporting them. But now, when they decided to attack, I have no choice, but to kill them." He explained. "Oroescama, gather four squads before the eastern entrance number eight. You have fifteen minutes." He ordered. Then, he turned at his mate. "Luna, take our daughter to Small Core, dragons will never get there. Not if they mean to leave this place alive." He said.

"I'm going." Luna promised. Then, she kissed her mate passionately. "Please, be careful." Her voice was so begging. She feared as well.

"I will." Oscuro grinned. "No worries, I will return." He assured and then, he kissed his mate once more. "It's time for me." He stated sadly. The wyvern left his chamber with his sword on his back. "Nice choice of theirs. That gate is the sealed one, right? All they had to do was breaking through it and they could get deeply into Celeste Tribu without even alarming anyone. Thanks ancestors we've been tipped off, if not that..." Oscuro sighed deeply. So it was the time to shed the dragon blood. Well, if that was his fate, he wouldn't try to fight it.

Oscuro flew through the Core quickly, found the right corridor and headed to the sealed off exit. Then, he met group of wyverns leaded by Oroescama. The wyverness stood before the prince.

"Four squads, as ordered, we're on time." The royal messenger declared.

"There are no branching off of the corridor from this point to the entrance, right?" Oscuro recalled.

"None at all." Oroescama confirmed.

"Good, so or we face them or we know that they're already inside." The wyverns headed to the gate, Oscuro and the royal messenger leading. "Does the king know?" Oscuro asked. The wyverness bobbed her head once.

"A royal messenger has been already sent to him." She informed.

"That's good. I and the king will need to coordinate the orders the fastest we can. We have to find those dragons and suppress them and the better we cooperate, the faster we'll succeed in doing it." The prince said. Then, some idea appeared in his head. "In this entrance, there are two gates, the one at the very ending of cave that can be opened from both sides and deeper in the cave the seal set several weeks ago, which can be opened only from outside, am I wrong?"

"No, it's correct." Oroescama confirmed. "Why do you ask?"

"Just making sure." The prince sighed deeply. After some time of silence, the wyverns saw the end of the corridor and the seal. It was great steel door, possible to unlock only from their side.

"It's closed and undamaged." Oroescama noticed, surprised.

"Looks like." Oscuro agreed. "Open it." He ordered. Two soldiers went to the metal gate and slowly unlocked it and pulled it, opening it wide open. Oscuro entered slowly, behind him Oroescama and soldiers.

"Two soldiers remain before the seal. Just in the case." Oscuro ordered. Two wyverns stopped before the gate and the others entered deeply into the sealed off corridor lit by intensive, red light of torches. They were already in the halfway before the exit when behind them, they heard sudden noise similar to explosion and powerful bang of rapidly slammed steel gate behind them. There could be heard silent curses as two wyverns sitting before the gate were rapidly thrown through it to their companions. All the wyverns turned around, surprised.

"What was that?" This question echoed through everyone's heads.

"The seal is closed." Oscuro whispered. "Dragons closed the seal behind us and we have no soldiers outside anymore."

"What?" Oroescama watched him with disbelief, but the prince didn't explain his guess, but started running across the corridor. He didn't run madly, but for whole the time careful what was around him, just in the case. He reached the gate of the entrance and pulled it. It was stuck, just as expected. Oscuro watched it carefully. The gate was damaged, closed for good. The prince laughed silently. Then, he cursed loudly and kicked some stone, not caring about the pain stinging his leg.

"Prince Oscuro?" The royal messenger who had just caught up with him watched him with worries. Oscuro just sighed deeply. "What happened?"

"Congratulate those dragons, Oroescama. They've got us in a trap." The prince sighed deeply. At first, he thought that they had chosen it because it was completely abandoned, but now he understood the real plan of those dragons. He could see with the eyes of imagination whole four of them entering the cave. "Then, they stopped, waited for the hidden, fourth guard from the gate to pull back. Meanwhile, Ivory memorized the place for a barrier of magic in such a way that if created, it would close the seal gate and another one to deal with possible soldiers left before the seal. Their lightning dragoness, most likely Farady, sensed the hidden guard from the entrance leaving. All of them left the cave as well, closed the entrance, damaged the door. Then, they entered Celeste with another cave, this time knocking out their hidden guard as well. They waited close to the sealed off corridor expecting me to come. When Farady sensed us entering, she waited for a good moment and then, Ivory created barriers in places that she had noted in her mind earlier, throwing the two wyverns before the seal through it and closing the gate trapping all of us. And so, we were stuck." Oscuro hissed angrily. Oh, their plan was so crystal clear now. Such a pity that he figured them out a little too late.

"So, what now?" Oroescama asked, unsure what to do. Oscuro sat down. "Are we waiting?"

"I'll make my way through this gate with earth, but it will take me some time." He closed his eyes focusing. "We must get out of here the fastest we can." He hissed angrily. "If only this gate wasn't so solid..." In his mind, he kept congratulating the dragons. He didn't expect to be outsmarted at all. Or at least not with such an easiness.

Three wyverns at the northern gate number four were very sleepy, all of them desperately begging in the mind that this last hour of their duty would pass in blink of an eye. None of them was really focused, not expecting any attack. And then, they heard terrified scream.

"Help!" Some young male wyvern shouted. All three looked at each other. Their captain told both his subordinates to go there. The young wyverns stood up and headed to the calling quickly. They heard some groan in the bushes. Both of them carefully enclosed to it, already seeing the gentle movements of someone laying in there. And then, eyes of both of them grew wide, as from shadows, there appeared a young fire breather, screaming with wyvern's accent "Help!" to dumbstruck the attackers. He hit one of them with clenched fist in the jaws, knocking him out and most likely breaking it. Before the second one managed to react, he felt hundreds of volts penetrating his body. He didn't even realize that the attacker decided not to use the whole power of his lightning.

The captain of the group, who heard the sounds, knew that something was wrong. He stood up, looked around and then, heard some creepy noise. He turned around to see the lightning hitting his chest. He didn't let a sound, but only fell on the ground. The fourth wyvern, hidden in the trees above his companions watched whole the happening carefully. He focused on the bushes, trying to see the attackers. And then, he felt terrible, dull pain at the side of his head. As his vision was blurring, he realized that he was falling down the tree and lost consciousness, as he reached the ground. Cynder jumped down the tree and watched Stella and Sable appearing from the forest.

"Everyone knocked out?" She asked. The lightning dragon nodded slightly.

"Yes, it went perfect this far." Sable confirmed. Zheek went for the rest of dragons and Sable, Stella and Cynder waited for several minutes for them to appear. In meanwhile, the hid all the guards in some bushes. They also gave each of them a strong hit in head to make sure that they all would remain unconscious for longer and once they would wake up, they'd have terrible headache so for the first moment, they wouldn't be able to do anything. Soon, there appeared the others. Eight dragons entered Celeste Tribu. The corridor of the entrance was very long, quite narrow and all the time going down, lower and lower. Tris looked around, disturbed. She really didn't like this claustrophobic place. She could literally feel her heart getting crazy.

"Are you sure you can do it, Tris?" Dante asked, seriously disturbed about her. The fire breather grinned, but there could be seen some terrified hint in this smile.

"I hope so." She assured with voice, which didn't sound hopefully at all. The young alchemist had completely forgotten how she had spending whole days in Small Core, relatively great place and still, needed every day to leave this underground city an hour or at least spend some time in great, spacious Core not to freak out consumed by her claustrophobic fear.

"I think it wasn't really good idea to take you here, was it?" The poet noticed and his mate gave him skeptical sight.

"Isn't it too late for such words?" Tris said ironically.

"She hit a point." Cynder interrupted the conversation before the earth dragon managed to argue. "And I think it's pointless to talk about this now, so let's just focus on our mission." She suggested. It would be better for them to avoid any argument of mates in that moment. Both Tris and Dante realized that, so they decided to quit the subject in such an important moment.

"How long are we going to just walk this empty corridor?" Stella asked.

"Just a moment more. We're about to get at the crossing, that's where the real challenge starts." Vixen said. "I wonder how did Ivory and others filled the plan. After all, it wasn't easy."

"But still, I'm sure that they managed to seal Oscuro off for a while." Viola smiled slightly. "I know that Oscuro isn't someone that could be outsmarted, but he can't expect this, can he?"

"I hope he won't make this out in time. But trust me, if he gets trapped, he'll understand what had happened in that very moment." Sable, who knew Oscuro the best, said. "It would be the best for us not to face him." He said gloomily, worried what would happen, if they faced him. Oscuro was real sword-master and Sable wouldn't like to check, who of them was a better one. After such a duel, he wouldn't be able to face Verdad, that was for sure. The dragons walked in silence for several minutes longer when they saw before themselves a crossing. Until then, they hadn't met any wyvern, which didn't surprise Sable at all. Firstly, it was small, marginal entrance and secondly, it was the time when not many wyverns were leaving or entering the Celeste Tribu, so chance of meeting any this far was minimal. They stopped at the very crossing.

"We go this way." Sable pointed at right.

"And we take this one." Stella said, looking at the left. "So, good luck everyone."

"Good luck." The lightning dragon bided them. "Just remember, pass through Core only if it's absolutely necessary." He warned.

"No worries, Sable, you keep repeating that." Dante noticed.

"Thinking of this now, it's good that we don't have Tremor in our team." Cynder noticed and everyone watched her with surprise. "Knowing his luck and talent to fall into troubles, we'd have to get through there at least twice." She explained, smiling. Everyone chuckled silently.

"Right..." Viola agreed. "So, see you and good luck." After those words two groups of dragons went in opposite ways.

Celeste Tribu is very predictable place, at least for its citizens. There is a group of noises and sights that don't surprise anyone: some yells, fights, loud laughter, this sudden whist when a royal messenger is passing by, metallic sounds of Sombras who sometimes, very rarely, appear on the street in whole the armor. And there was a sound of burning torches, so familiar to everyone that some felt disturbed on the surface because of lack of the noise they'd heard since ever. But there are also sounds and sights that leave an ordinary wyvern completely aghast, not understanding what could be happening. One of them were dragons. Not one or two, but four. All the wyverns watched them carefully, unsure if wasn't that just an illusion. Those who realized it wasn't quickly stood right next to the wall, as far from them, as they only could. Especially the first one. Cynder, the black dragoness. Everyone who caught a sight of her deep, green, so ominous eyes started wondering, if the king had made right choice attacking them, thanking in meanwhile in mind that they weren't soldiers. Well, there could be seen some of them, rapidly disappearing. That was very reasonable, no one really wanted to fight against dragons. Powerful ones. And furious. Four of them. At once. Alone. It was hard to refuse that it would be rather a suicide than fight. The dragons, completely undisturbed by surprised wyverns, stood at some plaza. It was round with diameter of about one hundred meters, high for twenty. The dragons entered it and stopped there.

"It's here." Stella noticed.

"Yeah." Cynder confirmed. And then, the wyverns could see something that the most of them had never watched before. A beam of purple, mysterious energy enclosing to the roof of this cave. Convexity.


	57. Chapter 56

Chapter 56. "Encounter"

Karyu, one of the best royal messengers in whole Celeste Tribu, ran between the guards standing before the gate, with gentle move of paw opened the great gate slightly and slipped inside. Even if the soldiers tried to stop him, they would be simply too slow. Karyu ran into the Throne Hall and stopped before the king. The wyvern bowed deeply before him.

"What is happening?" Verdad asked watching the royal messenger carefully.

"The dragons... They attacked Celeste Tribu." The wyvern explained.

"What? When? Where they are? How many?" The king started asking, scared.

"They're already inside Celeste Tribu, in the eastern sectors. We've discovered two groups of theirs, in each of them, there are four dragons." Karyu specified.

"Did you say forty or fourteen?" The king watched him carefully, sure that he had misheard.

"Neither I said, four." The wyvern confirmed his previous words. Verdad leaned against his throne and cackled loudly. He hadn't been laughing like that for years. After a minute of laughter, the messenger watched him, disturbed. "King?" He asked, unsure what to do. Verdad stopped laughing, though it wasn't easy.

"Sable..." He sighed deeply. "Only he could be this reckless, who else?" He said to himself.

"What are your orders, king?" Karyu asked.

"Where's Oscuro and what's the position of the attackers?" The king asked for more details. He didn't want to commit any mistake. There weren't many dragons, but still, it was better not to underestimate them, especially when they simply had to have a plan.

"Principe Oscuro went to the eastern gate number eight to face the dragons who broke through there. One group of dragons has been seen in the eastern section at the round plaza at the eleventh level, the other one near Fuego Pasaje. None of the attackers has been recognized as Sable." Karyu specified.

"I see." Verdad sighed deeply. "Tell your subordinates to send forces to both those places, make sure to triple the guards in apartments of the nobility. I want those dragons to be suppressed, mobilize as many soldiers it's possible. You personally go and find Oscuro, tell him to strike one of those groups." The king decided.

"May I ask what do you mean to do?" The royal messenger asked carefully, knowing that he was stepping on thin ice.

"I'll stay here." The king declared.

"Shouldn't I at least double the guard around this place?" Karyu suggested.

"No." Verdad smiled ominously. "Sable is coming for me. I want to kill him personally." He explained. Karyu just shrugged.

"If you say so, my king." He didn't argue. He had learnt years earlier that it was better to avoid any discussions with nobility, especially with the king, just in the case. You never know what could happen if you won such an argument and Karyu would rather not to try his luck. He just bowed deeply before the king. "Is there anything more you need?" He asked.

"No, you are dismissed." The royal messenger nodded slightly and left the Throne Hall hastily. Then, from the shadows of one columns, there appeared Leal.

"I haven't expected them to strike." She confessed. "It's not in Sable's style."

"No, it's exactly in Sable's style." Verdad disagreed. "Leal, if only you want to help the soldiers to deal with those dragons, I give you free rein." The wyverness nodded slightly.

"Could I ask about something, in this case?" She pleased.

"What is it?" The king watched Leal suspiciously.

"I will need one half of Lanzador." The princess explained.

"I disagree. I'm the beholder of Lanzador." Verdad said firmly.

"But king, at least one half of it…" Leal watched him with imploring sight.

"No, take as many soldier as you want, but I keep Lanzador. Understood?" The king said it with strict, demanding voice. It was really hard to argue with it. The wyverness lowered her eyes to avoid his angry sight.

"I…" She sighed deeply. "I understand." She agreed, even though she really needed that weapon. With it, she'd fill her plan easily. "Can I go now?"

"You're dismissed." Verdad confirmed. The princess turned around and left quickly. Once the gate closed behind her, she made several steps and noticed the royal messenger waiting for you.

"I'm glad that you've waited, Karyu." She said, as two wyverns took walk along some corridor.

"That was an earlier order of yours. You do realize every minute is priceless now?" The wyvern noticed impatiently.

"I'm aware of that." Leal nodded speaking with seemingly careless voice. "You say there are two groups of dragons, right?"

"Yes, I do." Karyu confirmed.

"So Sable must be in the third one, already inside." Leal said to herself.

"There's been no…" The royal messenger tried to argue.

"Kid, those two groups are decoys. There's a third one, Sable's. It goes to the Throne Hall." Then, she grinned. "Verdad knows it, that's why he's not going anywhere. He wants to kill him personally." She sighed deeply. "Those males… As if he couldn't have poisoned Sable when he had an opportunity."

"Do you want to give me any orders?" Karyu asked.

"No, not at all, you're free now." The royal messenger nodded and rapidly sped up, disappearing behind a corner in several seconds. Leal grasped her sword and took it out of the scabbard. It was long, thin azure spade. It was straight just like Sable's katanas, but not so wide. She watched it carefully, swung three times and hid it quickly back into the scabbard. "So, it's time to say hello to Sable, isn't it?"

Cynder, Stella, Dante and Tris stood in the middle of great plaza. There were six entrances to it and in all of them, there were standing the soldiers, watching intruders carefully. The dust of the ceiling damaged with Convexity was still floating in the air. The captain of the wyverns stood before his subordinates.

"Surrender, dragons! You're outnumbered, surrounded, stuck in the middle of enemy territory! You can't escape!" Then, he heard silent, female laugh. It was Tris, giggling. The captain felt disturbed watching them, especially when he caught sight of Stella's cold eyes. "You stand no chance against us!" He shouted, rather to encourage his own soldiers than force the dragons to give up.

"Which way now?" Dante asked.

"Not so hastily, we need to buy Sable some time." Stella noticed silently. "And what will happen, if we surrender?" She asked the wyvern. The captain smiled slightly, satisfied. That was something. If only he knew that dragons weren't even considering that, but simply delaying the fight.

"You'll spare blood of many lives, including yours." The wyvern explained.

"You mean we'll be let free?" Cynder asked doubtfully, continuing this masquerade.

"I'm sure that king will decide so." The captain of soldiers assured.

"And how can you assure us safety?" The black dragoness watched him suspiciously. The wyvern watched her carefully, considering an answer, but he couldn't find any satisfying one.

"Present slowly turns into past. Oh, the time's passing so fast… " Dante rhymed silently. Tris couldn't help giggling silently. The captain of wyverns heard that.

"Hey, don't laugh at me!" He scolded her.

"She's not laughing at you." Stella assured. "Possibly." She added silently, so no wyvern heard it. "So, how can you assure our safety?" She repeated Cynder's question.

"I…" The captain of wyverns sighed deeply. He'd rather not to fight them. "Just give me a moment!" He pleased.

"Maybe you should send for someone with higher rank?" Cynder suggested.

"Yeah… I think so." The captain agreed. "Send for general Celo!" He ordered. That was an excellent idea. At least for dragons, since it would buy them several priceless minutes more. There could be seen some movement at the back as of wyvern forces several soldiers ran to find general Celo. Everyone else was waiting in silence. The tension was palpable. Several soldiers were aiming at dragons with those characteristic needle-shooting gauntlets. And then, one of them, most likely accidentally, pressed a trigger a little too strong. There could be heard metallic crack and three needles were released. What saved Cynder from death was her amazing reflex; the blow of wind managed to send needles right above her. And then, the horrible sequence of events started and nothing could really stop it. The other soldiers pressed triggers as well. Dante made an earth shield protecting his companions. Several wyverns treated it as an attack, so they flew to the dragons. Stella, seeing what was coming, shot one of them down with powerful lightning. And then, all the wyverns attacked. The dragons jumped in the air and took flight, breaking through the wyverns. The captain of soldiers, just several seconds earlier negotiating with them, screamed to stop the fight. No one listened to or even heard him. It was simply too late. The captain just cursed his bad luck in mind as he watched those four dragons leaving the corridor. Some wyverns followed them. As the battle dust was falling, there could be heard groans of wounded.

"Captain, what are the orders?" Some soldier asked.

"Now you ask about the orders?! Now?!" The captain would most likely kill his subordinate just with his sight, his paws were shaking furiously.

"Captain?" The soldier said with silent, uncertain voice. His superior just sighed deeply.

"Ten soldiers remain with the wounded and take care of them, two others send for medics. The rest is going after those dragons."

"You mean we will encounter them?" The soldier asked with disbelief clearly emphasizing word "we". He really didn't like the sound of this.

"Someone has to stop them." The captain noticed. Two wyverns watched each other and they both sighed deeply. It was the duty to protect their tribe, right? The only thing that bothered them was that they'd be the ones to face those dragons. Soldiers followed the intruders. The duty called, duty called…

Sable, Viola, Zheek and Vixen were quickly walking the narrow corridors of Celeste Tribu. All four of them were very careful, all the time looking around not to be surprised by someone, several times hiding from accidental passersby. Vixen focused back on the surrounding. She had just caught herself staring at her beloved with worries.

"Zheek, remember not to fight Verdad." She pleased him. The fire breather sighed deeply.

"I know. Why do you keep repeating that?" Zheek didn't even argue with her at that matter anymore.

"I'm worried about you." The black dragoness explained herself.

"You're hypersensitive, don't you think?" The fire breather noticed.

"Maybe, but only a little." Vixen agreed reluctantly and nuzzled her boyfriend. And then, at the end of corridor, there appeared someone. It was a wyvern, armored one. She, since it obviously was female, was stepping gently, moving very gracefully, across her lips danced gentle smile. Sable watched her in disbelief.

"You…" The dragon whispered surprised.

"It's been a while, Sable. You look handsome as always." Leal greeted him, smiling insolently. To her joy, Viola hissed hatefully. The azure dragoness stared at her in such a way as if she wanted to melt the wyverness with her sight. The princess was wearing not only her blue sword in scabbard on the side. She had also light azure armor with gilded ornaments and three grudges ended with wholes on the left arm. It was covering the most of her body, but didn't look heavy at all. There were many gaps in it, but none at vital point.

"I have no time for your games. Out of my way." Sable ordered. All dragons were standing several meters from her, keeping the safe distance from wyverness.

"What can I say…" Leal drew her sword and aimed it at the lightning dragon. "It's not a game. I can't let you pass."

"I'll take care of her, you go." Viola stood before her mate and electrified the wyverness with sight.

"Viola…" Sable watched her, concerned about his mate.

"No worries, I'll join you later. We don't have much time and we both know that it's the best solution." The azure dragoness said. Sable opened his jaws, but she already knew what he meant. "No, Zheek goes with you. You will need at least one person more, just in case." She argued.

"Well, if you say so…" Leal grinned and swung her blade quickly. "It's fine by me." She assured. She stood beside the wall and three dragons ran next to her. Viola looked deeply into wyverness's eyes. Leal turned around to watch backs of those dragons. She sighed deeply.

"I hope you do have any idea how badly you've messed up all my plans? Not even now or several weeks ago, but ten years ago, when you two met." Leal watched her coldly. Her light armor was covering her head, chest, back and arms."Sable always had tendency to protect the weak ones, so much that for all this years, he forgot about his true love."

"He never loved you, Leal. You can be sure of that." Viola assured.

"No, he loves me. He only doesn't realize it yet." The wyverness disagreed. "And once you're dead, reminding him my love would be much easier."

"Well, let's assume that with some doze of luck you're able to do kill me." Viola started and this time Leal was the one to hiss hatefully. "Do you think that Sable will love someone who killed his mate?"

"And came up with an idea of killing his hatchlings? Yes." Leal grinned. Dragoness's eyes grew wide, her paw clenched.

"It… It was you?" Her voice was shaking in anger. "Not Cobro?" The wyverness spread her arms wide.

"Ta-dam." Sights of two females met. Leal seemed to be in playful mood, Viola didn't even try to hide that she was overfilled with anger. And yet, they shared one thing; hatred towards each other.

"You're so dead." The azure dragoness hissed.

"No, you are." Leal straightened her left arm aiming at other female's head. In her gauntlet, there could be seen three holes. For needles, to be precise. Viola prepared herself to dodge once princess would shoot. There was quite a distance between them, she could make it. Leal pressed the trigger and meanwhile, waved her other paw to the ground. The azure dragoness jumped at the side, jerking her head. And then, she felt spiking pain in her paw and fell on the ground.

"What the…" The dragoness watched two needles sticking out from her left paw. "She aimed at head, right?" She asked herself in mind. "So how is it possible that she…"

"How is it possible that she hit my paw? Surprising, isn't it?" Leal watched her amused. "Has Sable mentioned you how I bluffed that I could use magic?"

"So it wasn't bluff." Viola guessed.

"No, it was, I have only power of wind. The element so popular in my family, even my little brother has it. You remember this set: wind and needles, don't you?" The wyverness watched her curiously. Viola nodded. Septimo, she had heard of him from Sable and even remembered Cynder's relation from their fight. "I can bend their path aiming at your paws. When you avoid, the paws are part of body which moves as the very last one, did you know that?" She explained, grinning. She watched uncertainty being written on Viola's face. "By the way, you were so proud just a moment before, so confident. What now?" Two needles flew at Leal's head. One missed it for just centimeters, another bounced from her forehead armor, which saved her life. The dragoness was already back on her fours, running to the enemy. Leal's eyes grew wide in surprise, she didn't manage to draw sword, but blocked Viola's paw with gauntlet. Dragoness's talons slipped across the metal, as she passed by the princess trying to slash her throat, but Leal protected herself with second paw. Viola caught a needle from the ground, with corner of her eye noticed the wyverness reloading her gauntlet in no time; she had needles hidden between armor's ornaments. The dragoness fell to the ground and rolled avoiding all three bullets aimed at her, then she threw a needle at Leal's chest. It went stuck in her thin breast armor penetrating it for a centimeter or two. The wyverness hissed angrily and took it out. She glared at the dragoness making a fighting stance.

"Reasonable confidence is better than unreasonable fear, isn't it?" Viola noticed. Leal electrified her with sight. She drawn her sword.

"Well, it's time to kill." She announced. Viola just grinned.

"Oh yeah." The azure dragoness couldn't describe it any better.

Verdad was waiting, sitting on his throne. In two scabbards on his back there were two swords: Lanzador and his royal blade. He was wondering, if Sable would come and who would accompany him. He watched the gate carefully. Whole Throne Hall was wide for fifty meters and long for about two hundred. Its height was no less than twenty meters. Across the hall, there were two rows of columns: each of them round, thick for two meters, in distance of ten meters from the next one. This all was lit by hundreds special torches which were giving not only very intensive light, but could burn for very, very long time. While analyzing the Throne Hall, the king didn't notice at all the moment when the gate opened slightly. And then, loud, slow clapping echoed through the Throne Hall. Sable, who was the source of this noise, was walking slowly, dignifiedly, wearing all three sword of his on his back. At his left, there was Vixen, on the right Zheek. The king smiled slightly seeing them coming. He walked down the stairs leading to throne and stopped right behind them, waiting for the three of intruders to approach.

"Congratulations, Verdad. You won." Sable admitted, as he was in halfway to the king. "I'll never even consider a try to get what should belong to me; the Throne of Celeste Tribu. I…" His paws were shaking in anger, as he was enclosing to the murderer of his parents. "I despise this place now, it makes me feel sick as I watch the ideals of my father and his ancestors falling like that, in just several years of your reign. Betrayals, assassinations, one great cloak of lies. The previous Señors de la Tribu must be rolling in their graves watching you and your actions." Sable said scornfully. Verdad grinned.

"And here you are, the righteous heir to the throne, a hero in a gilded armor coming to slain the demon." He noticed ironically watching dragon's gold scales. "You come to bring the justice and freedom to this poor kingdom, aren't you? You say you're so disgusted with this all so what are you doing in here? Why do you want the throne anyway?"

"We don't." Vixen assured. "All that we mean to gain is your death." She explained.

"So it's just old, good vengeance." Verdad summed up.

"No, if it was about vengeance, I would have you killed at the very first audience. We just know that you won't give up on us. You want to kill the very last one of Sueño's bloodline." Sable refused.

"So we can be escaping your Sombras to the end of our lives or kill you." Vixen simplified. "And we're done escaping from our past. It's family matter, Verdad. We only protect them from you."

"You knew that I wouldn't give up." Señor de la Celeste Tribu noticed with admiration. "You've definitely grew up in last fifteen years, you're not as blind as back then."

"I'm still blind to so many things." Sable refused, as he smiled slightly to his sister. He was so happy to know her true identity. "It's just… When you became obsessed with vision of killing us to protect yourself from imaginary danger, at the point nothing could stop you, even the bloodshed of innocent… That's exactly when you became predictable."

"I've done what I had to in order to become king and bring my kingdom wealth. What can I say, I could never stand fact that such a brat as Sueño had become king. It was wrong. It was my duty as prince to improve that mistake, duty towards not only family, but whole tribe."

"Keep this delusive speech for yourself." Vixen ordered hatefully. "Brother, let's finish this, shall we?" The black dragoness suggested. Zheek stood back. He knew that it wasn't his fight.

"Yeah." The lightning dragon drawn both his blades. "Let's do this quickly." Sparkles danced across his swords, as the grin danced across Sable's lips. Vixen knew this smile. She knew what was coming. Or at least she thought so.

"Dos Sables del Relampago." The dragon whispered. Then, both swords glowed with intensive light of electricity just like when he fought Stella years earlier. Vixen watched it with disbelief.

"Both swords?" She asked, surprised.

"That's the power of dragon, not Vengantimo." Sable explained, grinning. "Let's go, sis." Vixen nodded slightly. In that moment Verdad drawn Lanzador.

"Bring it on, young dragons." Verdad grinned ominously. He didn't have to repeat himself.


	58. Chapter 57

Chapter 57. "Dying souls"

Karyu had been running across the dark tunnels of tribe for some time already when he found what he had been looking for: the seal of the eastern gate number eight. It was just perfect place for an attack: nothing had been walking those corridors for months. What bothered him was that he hadn't met any of Oscuro's soldiers. Not even a sight of battle or anything. And then, he finally reached the seal. The wyvern stopped before it, completely dumbstruck.

"What the…" It looked as if some great creature had been smashing it from inside trying to break through and still, it remained closed. Well, the seal definitely couldn't be called a weak one. And then, after another blow, it cracked, which sounded somehow painfully, as it gave up and started tilting. The wyvern jumped back and drawn a dagger hidden in his silver, ornamented armor. The metal gate fell on the ground dispelling some dust through which, there could be seen some earth pillars. And then, there could be heard some clapping and wyverns calling: "Principe Oscuro!" Karyu watched carefully wyverns leaving closed off corridor, carefully avoiding stony spikes sticking out from the ground.

"Principe, what happened?" Karyu asked watching carefully frustrated, sweaty prince, who was breathing hardly.

"Dragons tricked us far too easily. Sable must have very good, up-to-date information and even better plan." He sighed deeply. "Where are the dragons now?" He asked.

"One group near Fuejo Pasaje, the other one at the eastern section, eleventh level." The royal messenger informed. "What are the orders?"

"You take charge and lead all the soldiers here to Fuejo Pasaje. Oroescama?" He called the wyverness.

"I'm here, Principe." The wyverness appeared at Oscuro's side. Meanwhile, Karyu smiled to her and said soundlessly "Hi, Oro." She only smiled slightly.

"You gather the soldiers and send them to the eastern sector. We must surround those dragons as long as we have any idea where they are. I will head straight to the eastern sector and try to find them. I will be slowing them down." Oscuro explained.

"Are you sure, Principe? Those are four dragons." Karyu noticed, concerned about the prince who he really respected.

"No worries, I will avoid an open fight, if it's risky and unnecessary, but I'll force them to slow their pace down." The prince assured. "Now, let's go." All the wyverns started running. Karyu had to stand behind with the soldiers, but Oscuro was running right next to Oroescama.

"Prince, they've prepared this attack, haven't they?" The wyverness started conversation.

"Yes, they have. They had time to do so and we've lowered our guard. I guess no one here expected it." The prince sighed deeply and jumped above some lonely stone laying on the corridor."I wonder if Leal has anything to do with it."

"I can hardly believe that. Even if she wanted help Sable, would he trust her?" The messenger noticed. "Dragons must have been suspicious about her after they escaped. After all, she told Clavius the way they had most likely went."

"But dragons don't know that." Oscuro noticed. "But still, Sable must be aware of her serpent tongue and he wouldn't trust her, especially after this affair at Viola-Leal line."

"What do you mean?" Oroescama asked curiously.

"Leal used to be Sable's fiancée." The prince said.

"Wasn't it an arranged engagement?" The wyverness jerked her head curiously.

"It was, but Leal really loved Sable. She still does. And now, after all these years, there he returns with mate. I've seen those two talking at the banquet. The tension between was literally palpable, as if they'd jump to each other's throat any second. To sum up, Viola hates Leal and if that's so, Sable would trust her only if it would be absolutely necessary." Oscuro explained. He had known Sable for years, so he could easily guess how he would behave.

"I see." The wyverness didn't say anything more in that subject. They were running in silence. And then, Oroescama asked. "Principe…"She sighed deeply. "Are you scared?" She asked.

"Of what?" Oscuro watched her carefully.

"How will this all end up? Are you scared about your life?"

"A little." The prince admitted. "But I'm going to fight for my kingdom with all the strength of mine, even if I'll pay for this fight with my life. You're scared of this whole situation, don't you?" He guessed.

"I think so." Oroescama confirmed. "I just… I don't know what to expect."

"Be strong. We have to be." The prince pleased and his companion bobbed her head once.

"I will." She promised. Two wyverns stood before the crossing. "It's time to separate, Principe." The messenger noticed.

"Indeed. Goodbye Oroescama." Oscuro bided her.

"Goodbye, Principe." The wyverness bowed deeply. And then two wyverns ran into opposite directions.

Through the dark, narrow corridors of Celeste Tribu, there were running four dragons.

"We can slow down for a moment." Candice suggested. All four of them landed, Farady, unable to fly because of her broken wing, jumped down Tremor's back. Ivory was walking at the very end of the group, watching, if they weren't followed.

"Are you sure about it?" Tremor asked doubtfully. "If they surround us…"

"They're already busy with this mess we've caused all around. It will buy us some time and we should have a moment of rest. It wouldn't be good if they caught us breathless." Farady argued.

"That's the point." Candice agreed. Then, she grinned to her mate. "Are you scared?" The earth guardian turned at her and gave her skeptical sight.

"Me? Scared? Candy, back to earth, you're the one that I always have to save." He noticed grinning insolently. Candice stood silent for just a second, she already had an riposte for that. Ivory smiled slightly watching those two bantering. And then, some strange thoughts started appearing in her mind.

"Just look at him." The voice in her head told her. The voice that she had heard far too many times. "He's so joyful, laughing, as if… As if nothing hath happen'd!" Ivory shook her head trying to get rid of those thoughts. But she already felt the anger overtaking her, magic flowing through her body. "He hath so much blood on his own paws and yet he simply doth not care!" The voice was getting louder and louder.

"Enough!" Ivory screamed in her head, closed her eyes, tried to fight it.

"I hath enough of waiting! It's because of him that Flush died! It's all his fault!" In this voice, there could be heard an intensive hint of sorrow, nostalgia, as if about to cry. "And yet, he lives on unpunished with practically no consequences for his death… He should suffer!"

"That's not the solution!" Ivory screamed in her mind.

"And why not?! If not thou, then who shall punish him?! Who?!" The voice screamed, echoing through her mind. Ivory stopped for a moment, clenched her fists fighting her temptation. Meanwhile, the three dragons kept walking. After several seconds, they stopped.

"So, let's fly again." Tremor suggested. He turned at the white dragoness behind them. "Ivory?" He called her. Her eyes opened, glowing intensively with magical light. Tremor's heart skipped a beat. He already knew. Before the guardian even reacted, he felt a pressure against his chest as he was thrown to the wall strongly.

"Tremor!" Candice shouted fearfully. Then, Ivory closed her within a magical barrier. Farady watched this situation with disbelief. She walked to the white dragoness.

"Ivory, what are you doing?" She asked, dumbstruck.

"Dost not interrupt." Ivory ordered with her doubled by magic voice. Farady didn't know this side of Ivory, so she ignored the deadly danger and stepped forward.

"Ivory, for ancestors' sake, it's not the time and place, just cut it…" The lightning dragoness tried to argue. And then, Ivory straightened her right paw at Farady.

"Stop it!" Tremor shouted, but it was too late. A beam of azure light was released from Ivory's arm. It hit Farady's chest powerfully. The lightning dragoness was thrown away for at least twenty meters, she squeaked as hit a wall with her back. Then, Ivory closed herself, Tremor and Candice from whole external world with two barriers.

"Ivory." Candice called her. The white dragoness just laughed ominously.

"She hath warn'd you, hath she not?" Female voice, doubled with magic, said. Ivory grinned, as she stood before Tremor and touched his throat with her sharp, black talons. Neither of guardians could do a thing in that very moment. "And yet, thou hast belittl'd her words and for in price that, thou shallst perish, Tremor."

"You're not Ivory, but that spirit, aren't you?" The earth guardian guessed. Just the way she spoke could tell him; it was old dragon language. The dragoness giggled.

"Indeed, I am. Finally free." She enclosed her head to him and licked his nose with quick move of tongue. "We hath time, Tremor. At last, you shallst pay for what thou hath done." The white dragoness watched him carefully. "You doubtlessly shallst." The dragoness grinned. Spirit controlling this body was so euphoric. She already had what she had been dreaming about since ever: her own, unshared body. All that she had to do was erasing Ivory's soul once and for good. Forever.

A young fire breather opened his eyes slightly. He was laying on some bed, as he realized. Above him, he saw some white ceiling. He quickly recognized this place- it was the city hospital. But how did he get there? The last thing he remembered was how he was going with Ñeque to there to see how was Arriate doing and then, he felt so dizzy…

"Hi, Wizard." A female, familiar voice greeted him. He turned around to see Arriate. She still had bandages all over her chest, right arm and big part of head, including her eye. "Feeling better?" She asked, concerned.

"What?" Flush gave her dumbstruck sight. "Why am I here?"

"You fainted just a moment ago. Mrs. Ember says that you have fever and magical hypa… hyperati… No, wait…" Arriate wondered for several second, searching in mind for correct order of letters. "I've got it! Magical hyperactivity!" She declared proudly and grinned to the fire breather. Flush watched her carefully.

"Which is?" He asked curiously. He didn't know such a thing at all. Arriate just shrugged helplessly. Flush sighed deeply. "Yeah…" He placed a paw on his forehead. It was doubtlessly hot. "How do you feel?" He asked the dragoness.

"Better, but my eye still burns." Arriate pointed her head bandage. She still didn't know that she had lost sight in her left eye permanently "And I can't really move my arm. Still broken." She raised her broken arm slightly and dropped it. She hissed painfully, as she did it a little too fast. "Do you know how did you got that magical hyper-thing?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know." Flush shook his head slowly. And then, the gate opened. Inside, there walked two dragons, a hatchling and an adult one. Those were Ñeque and Ember.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" The ice dragon asked curiously.

"Somehow." Flush described.

"Somehow." Arriate agreed. Ember stood between their beds and focused on Flush. Meanwhile, Ñeque jumped at his sister's bed and laid beside her. They practically lived in that hospital for last two weeks, the ice dragon even slept there. The pink dragoness placed her paw on his forehead and did something with her magic. Then, she put her paw back on the floor.

"Yes, it's magical hyperactivity with no doubts." Ember said. Then, she noticed asking sights of three youngsters. "To put it simply, there rapidly appears too much magic in his body, which causes Flush to have a serious fever. At this moment, it's not so bad, if this disappears within next day or two, there's no need to worry."

"And if he's still ill later?" Arriate worried.

"Then we will have to worry." Ember decided to spare youngsters the explanation how too great concentration of magic destroys body from inside. There was no need to bother them yet. Now, she focused on lowering Flush's temperature and magical pressure in his body. She was quite concerned about him, but didn't fear about his life: she saw Ivory in such a state several times, never in life danger.

Alivo was sitting in his office in Small Core, writing some notes. Then, he heard some boiling water. The wyvern stood up, turned around and walked to his very long alchemical table. He took a phial with some green, boiling liquid and took it from fire, which he extinguished quickly. Alivo put it on stand and took a bowl with earlier prepared green powder. He spilled it inside and started mixing with glassy stirrer, made especially for him and his alchemic experiments. After a minute of doing that, he inhaled the steam floating from it. He sighed deeply with disappointment and put it down.

"Wrong proportions again." He said to himself sadly. The wyvern walked to table, took pen and crossed some short writing. "Four out, four left." He whispered. "Maybe I will finish it today." And in the moment he said that, someone ran into his room, slamming the door loudly.

"The royal medic Alivo!" Some soldier stood still before the wyvern. Alivo watched him carefully. He was all sweaty ,breathing, obviously in hurry. Something bad must have happened.

"Report." He ordered.

"The dragons have just broken inside the high levels of Celeste Tribu. We're trying to stop them, but they're breaking through us with no effort. We need medics quickly." The soldier reported.

"How many attackers?" Alivo asked. His voice revealed no feelings.

"I know about two groups, four dragons in each." Hearing that, Alivo watched the soldier with disbelief. "Is it bad?" The soldier asked, surprised with such a reaction.

"No, only… surprising." He leaned against the desk and analyzed the facts quickly. "Wait here, you'll lead the medics to the wounded soldiers. "I will mobilize as many medics I can. Wait here." The royal medic ordered and left his chamber. He ran to the center of Small Core. Those were the headquarters for the most of medics for last several months; because of the pandemic, there still was the main hospital working in there, just about to move back into the original one in the higher levels. The mobilization of the most of medics on duty in that moment took about ten minutes, in meanwhile, the soldier explained the situation on the upper levels to Alivo. They all were about to head, when Alivo noticed some youngster in the crowd. He quickly walked to young, just fifteen years old wyverness. How did he know her age? Because she was his daughter.

"Esperanza, what are you doing?" Her father watched her carefully. She was wearing not only small, traditional medical bag, but also big kit of medicines on her back, far too big for her.

"I'm going with you." The wyverness declared.

"No, you're staying here." Alivo refused firmly.

"But dad…" Esperanza tried to argue.

"You stay here. It's not a place for such a kid as you." The royal medic repeated himself. "The discussion is over." He turned around and headed to the exit. "We are going!"He ordered and all the medics took flight. Esperanza sighed sadly. And then, some idea appeared in her mind. She ran quickly, following the other medics until they left Small Core and flew to the top of Core, analyzing where could they be possibly going. And then, not thinking much, she took flight.

Ivory opened her eyes and stood up. She looked around with disbelief. She wasn't in Celeste Tribu anymore. This place… The floor beneath her was some white, shattered crystal. There were no plants at all. There was nothing, to be more precise. The floor seemed to be strong and yet, broken in so many places. And above her, there were no clouds, no sky, but only intensive white light. Whole this place was white. She couldn't see the end to this impossible place; it seemed to be stretching out for hundreds kilometers. Aghast, she forgot to breathe. And yet, nothing happened. In this place, she didn't need oxygen and breathing was only involuntary reflex. She made a step and heard this characteristic noise of this white crystal under her paws. And then, she realized that she felt no chill or warmth. In fact, she didn't feel anything.

"Where am I?" She asked herself loudly. It wasn't her world, but… some different. "Is this death?" She looked around desperately, but heard no answer. And then, from the crystal white floor, there started floating some azure aura. Ivory quickly made a fighting stance. She focused the magic and then, her eyes grew wide. It wasn't her body that she had. Scales, wings, talons… this all was spiritual. If only she could, Ivory would feel creeps across her body. She didn't understand anything. And then, some azure aura before her materialized. The newcomer looked exactly like Ivory, in her eyes, there was intensive, azure light.

"Who are you? What is this place?!" Ivory demanded the answer. Her doppelganger grinned and bowed deeply before her.

"I shall greet thee hither, Ivory, the vessel of mine! The place you seest, it is the world of thine mind." She grinned ominously. "Thine… As for now."

"And who are you?" Ivory asked again. She felt a little more comfortable. So it was her mind, that was the reason she didn't feel her body. "I demand you to answer."

"Thou demandst?" The other dragoness cackled aloud. Her laugh sounded so unnaturally, somehow… metallic. "Oh, what uncouth personality thou hath! Nay respect, lack of any humility I see in thee." The intruder of her mind stood proudly. "I am the spirit. I do exist, but there doth not exist any name of mine." She closed her eyes and giggled silently. A sparkle of magic started glowing in her eyes even more intensively. "Nay name I posses and yet, so many bodies!" The spirit straightened her wings and disappeared back into azure aura. She floated quickly to Ivory and materialized right before her. This time, she looked different. She was much higher than Ivory lightning dragoness with gold irises and very pale yellow scales. Ivory recognized this body. It was Lian.

"Intriguing appearance, is it not?" The spirit asked, watching Ivory curiously. "I can hardly find this news surprising to thee, but this is the one I value at the most. Lian had been unimaginably powerful artist of magic. I really regret for that I caus'd her to perish and join her ancestors." She sighed deeply with hint of nostalgia. It recalled incident from before several centuries as if it had happened barely yesterday; it was a very old spirit. "But, we shall focus on present instead of losing ourselves in sorrowful digressions of the antecedents of mine. Dost thou realize on what purpose thou hath been brought in hither?" The spirit wondered. In that moment, Ivory understood that she was in very serious problems. That spirit was the one to bring her here, she obviously knew the physics and rules of this place much better than Ivory. The white dragoness had to learn very quickly, if she was to defeat that spirit.

"I only don't understand what are you doing in my mind." Ivory watched her very carefully.

"The mind of thine is virtually the kingdom of mine. The only being to get in the way is thou. Thou…" Spirit's paws started shaking in anger. "I am sick of thou!" She screamed spreading her wings rapidly, which partly dematerialized into spreading azure aura for several seconds. "Thou… Thou hast such a potential and yet thou wastest it for what thou durst calling self-control! Thine psyche is like a cancer to the magnificent power that hath been given to thee! I live every day, experience every sight, every sound, every feeling of thine! How is it possible to waste so many opportunities, to commit too many perpetrations! This weakness of thine mind is… unbearable!" The metallic scream of the spirit released a sudden shockwave of magic, which threw Ivory away for several meters. "This shyness, fear of using thine own potential! Thou cannot confess that thou love when it's the way it should be! Thou dost not avenge when thou lose, when the vile murderers of those who thou love art at thine mercy! Thou shallst make the ones who profane Flush's name pay for that with their own blood! Thou never ceasest to stop, never getst this what shall be thine!" The spirit watched her hatefully. "I am the spirit that shares this body. I live every thine day. The ones thou love, I love. The ones thou hate, I hate." The spirit jumped before Ivory and looked deeply into her eyes. "Every day, fury overfillth me when I'm forced to experience thine weak, compliant choices!"

"You will only watch. You remain where your place is; imprisoned in here." Ivory said coldly, watching the spirit with despise. She already knew what to do about that spirit. "I'm leaving this place, I'll take my body over for once and for good. I can't let you free." The white dragoness didn't know how to do it, but she knew it wouldn't take her long to get back to the real world.

"Nay…" The spirit shook her head. "Nay!" She dematerialized to appear right before Ivory and released unimaginably powerful blow of magic. The dragoness flew uncontrollably for at least twenty meters. "Thou art not going anywhere." The spirit said slowly. "It's the time to solve this for once and for good." She grinned ominously. "I shall erase your soul, thou shallst not more bind me!" The white dragoness watched her fearfully.

"What… What do you…" Ivory focused the magic. So she couldn't leave just like that. They were going to fight, it seemed. She would rather to avoid that, to be honest. "What are you talking about?"

"I shall defeat this cancer which is thine mind for it not to devour this vessel. I shall erase thine soul from this body, Ivory. Intriguing, is it not? I will send your soul to the world of dead without hurting the body." The spirit grinned ominously. "At last I will live as I wish to, not just watch this pathetic existence of thine!" The spirit dematerialized into the azure aura. It send to her a wave of azure energy. So she attacked. Ivory focused magic and protected herself with a shield. She hadn't as much magical potential as always; so the spirit was really big part of her energy, after all. Ivory jumped into the air. She wanted to beat her wings, but… she didn't have to. She was floating in the air without moving those.

"It's the battle of minds, not bodies." Ivory noted in her mind. "So, all I need to do to fly is thinking about this." She still had to understand physics… if it could be called so, of this place. She shot at the spirit powerful wave of magic. But the intruder dematerialized avoiding it, appeared once more, flying straight it Ivory like a speeding bullet glowing with aura of azure energy surrounding her. Ivory had no time to avoid.

"Dematerialize!" She screamed in her mind. And then, her body, or rather soul, turned into an azure aura, which floated around the enemy avoiding her and materialized back right behind her. The spirit watched her surprised for several seconds. The white dragoness used this moment of surprise to shoot spirit with beam of magic. The spirit groaned painfully with female, unnaturally metallic voice. She fell to the ground and watched carefully her left arm, which was partly transparent now.

"Thou learn with expedition, Ivory." The spirit admitted. Ivory landed on the ground and made a fighting stance, all the time watching her enemy carefully. "Even though thou cannot reach the potential of mine, I'm afraid."

"And how can you know if I'm not far beyond it already?" Ivory noticed. The spirit giggled silently.

"Because I am thine senses. I am thine emotions. I know about thee even more than thou dost. I not only live through thine life, I analyze it precisely, step by step, word by word, breath by breath. I acknowledge thine power and realize that it is not as great as mine. What I insinuate is that thou could simply surrender. The fight of thine lackth any point."

"I will fight no matter what you say." Ivory declared confidently. The spirit watched her carefully. In its eyes, there glowed some sparkle- excitement.

"Let it be this way, if that is thine wish." The spiritual being agreed. "I will spare thou superfluous suffering, if thou dost not mind." The spirit dematerialized. And then, she appeared right before the white dragoness, fast as the lightning or… thought. Ivory didn't even manage to react and escape, even though in this, spiritual world, it would take her just a second to appear far from the attacker. She felt some unfamiliar magic in her chest, as the spirit pierced her with her arm. Ivory didn't feel pain; in this place, there was no such a feeling. Instead, she felt overwhelming weakness, but not of her body, but soul. Feeling so terrifying, not understandable… Such a thing shouldn't be possible. And then, powerful blow of energy threw her away. The white dragoness rolled across the ground several times. With her barely opened eyes, she watched her enemy enjoying the view of her once more fully materialized left arm.

"What a pleasant feeling to have it regain'd." The spirit turned at her and smiled ominously. "This is just the prelude the annihilation of thine. But fear not, it shallst nay last long." Ivory couldn't stand up. She had no strength left. So it was her end.


	59. Chapter 58

Chapter 58. "Earthquake"

Farady stood up slowly. She groaned painfully, as she straightened her wings. Luckily, neither of them was broken, most likely. Or at least probably. They burnt so much that she wouldn't even notice, if they were broken. The lightning dragoness looked around. Her eyes grew wide, as she saw Ivory and two guardians closed off between magical barriers. She knew that Ivory was on their side, but there must have happened something very wrong, something that she couldn't understand. She guessed that she could blame for it only white dragoness's magic. The dragoness decided not to enclose to three dragons. She involuntarily knew it would be much safer to stay away from this; let them solve it for themselves. She looked around. Whole the corridor was empty. Farady sighed with relief, as she recalled Sable mentioning what corridors were mostly empty and realizing it was one of them. She could wait there until Ivory… Until the situation would clear up. Farady sat down, closed her eyes and waited. She was a patient type. You can't hunt a dinner in hurry, can you? She focused her hearing and other senses, especially sensing changes of the electromagnetic field. She loved that skill, it was one of those reasons why her brother never wanted to play with her hide and seek. The dragoness couldn't feel very much of presence around her. It was very hard to feel it through the stone, even though no wyvern that was aware was happening in that very moment in Celeste Tribu couldn't be calm. And then, Farady felt something disturbing. It was a presence, not very strong, but it felt as if it was trying to… hide? Still, it was enclosing to her. Farady opened her eyes and watched the corridor. The presence was getting stronger, even though very gently. And then, the dragoness saw someone appearing from behind corner of the long corridor they were at. It was a wyvern with no doubts. But why was he heading towards her? Who could be this reckless to personally face a dragon knowing that before he'd have her in reach of talons, she could easily electrocute him to death? In this corridor, there was no place to hide or shield, after all.

"Your companions are busy, as I see." The male voice said loudly. Farady felt creeps across her scales, as she recognized it. In that very moment, she felt like she was the reckless one, still standing there. A second later, she realized that she not really had a way to escape.

"Oscuro…" She whispered silently. Then, she heard a noise of drawn blade. The wyvern was only twenty meters before her.

"I feel obligated to congratulate you that trap you have set on me." The wyvern prince stopped about ten meters from the dragoness. "Even though I perfectly realize that you couldn't be the one to come up with such a plan."

"And why not?" Farady asked cockily. She managed not to let her limbs shake in fear. That was… something. "Maybe it was my idea."

"I can hardly believe that. Firstly, you don't know this place at all. Secondly, this plan was far too complicated for a feral to come up with it." Oscuro said. He noticed some glow in Farady's eyes.

"How did you call me?" She asked angrily.

"Feral." Oscuro repeated. "Speaking of whom, I've expected you to be with your brother." The dragoness jumped back for two or three meters, her scales erected hatefully. She hissed hatefully in savage pose, low on her legs, ready to jump to his throat.

"Don't you even dare touching him!" Between Farady's teeth, there jumped some lightning.

"If were you, I would worry about myself. You have nowhere to run." Oscuro noticed almost pitifully.

"I'm not running away." Farady declared. "I will finish this."

"No, I will finish this." Oscuro disagreed. "If you plan to fight like last time, you can just give up." He suggested.

"I know. But I will not fight like the last time. Many things changed in last two weeks." Farady assured and she made a fighting stance. She watched Oscuro very carefully. The wyvern made a step forward. Right next to him, there flew a lightning. He jumped to the wall avoiding another one. He wanted to get to her, but it didn't look like she would treat him lightly. Instead, she chose to shoot at him another lightning, aiming for his head. The prince shielded himself with an earth pillar which appeared from the wall in that very moment. The next shot was aimed at his chest, but Oscuro bounced from the wall right next to it, jumped right before the lightning dragoness and swung his sword horizontally. Farady jumped back avoiding the blow and stood aside from appearing from the floor earth pillar. Oscuro slashed with paw, Farady caught it, they started forcing. And then, wyvern stung with the blade. Farady blocked the blow with gauntlet, long blade slipped by it twenty centimeters from her side. She jumped back again.

"If you keep pulling back, you'll get cornered sooner or later, you know?" The wyvern warned.

"Don't worry about me."While saying that, the dragoness released powerful stream of lightning forcing the wyvern to make himself a shield of stone and lose vision of her for a moment. She used that moment to pass by him with her maximal speed and shoot a lightning in his back. In the moment she was about to electrocute Oscuro, the wyvern bounced from wall avoiding it. As he touched the wall, he created before still speeding dragoness wall of stone spikes. Farady jumped above those and stopped ten meters farther. To her surprise, Oscuro was already there, right before her, raising his sword to slash her from above. She stood aside and heard a sound of steel against the rock. But the wyvern didn't give her much time to consider attack, but swung the blade horizontally. Farady took that powerful blow on her metal gauntlet. She heard silent cracks of several of little talon-shaped metal spikes breaking. And probably her bone as well. She shot a lightning and jumped back once more, not really liking an option of staying in close distance for too long. She watched her armor carefully. The gauntlet was bent seriously, squeezing her arm painfully, but she avoided being wounded by his poisoned sword directly. She was wondering about it when, suddenly, Oscuro attacked. Farady hissed angrily, as she barely managed to dash away from his vertical swing. And then, from the ceiling, there appeared rain of the earth spikes. The dragoness jumped back quickly avoiding being piercing by dozens of those, meanwhile shooting a lightning which, unfortunately, crushed at some wall. The noise was horrible, as if there was some explosion. Farady stood still and sighed with relief realizing that none of those spikes had hit her. Then, she jumped landing on them and shot at Oscuro powerful bolt. The wyvern avoided it and jumped to her, raising his sword above himself. Farady, seeing what was coming, jumped back and let the wyvern hit ground with powerful blow. The floor cracked and before Farady even realized, the ground beneath her turned into just not attached to anything stones rocks. "Those spikes must have damaged the floor." She thought. Oscuro managed to threw his sword back on the stable ground and beaten his wings remaining in the air. Farady, lacking this privilege of two not-broken wings , squeaked as she started falling down for at least ten meters, as she estimated. She rapidly beaten her wings to slow down, but in vain. She screamed painfully, as she heard her wing cracking- it still wasn't cured after all. She had crushed at the ground, completely breathless, as she didn't manage to remain on the legs. She stood up very slowly and looked around. Farady was in some big, round room, high for ten meters, with diameter of twenty. She noticed a gate, but it seemed like it was closed from outside. In the room, there were burning just four torches, so she couldn't see very well. She heard beating of wings above her. The dragoness raised her head and shot a lightning, but Oscuro dove rapidly avoiding it and rolled across the ground landing. Farady was giving her best to shoot him down, but the prince was too fast and the last bolt he blocked with an earth pillar.

"I see that you haven't cured your wing completely." The wyvern watched carefully her unnaturally bent in half left wing.

"That's nothing." Farady belittled her wound. "It won't change the result of this battle." Despite shadows, she noticed a slight smile dancing across prince's lips. Each of them interpreted those words in own favor, it seemed. Farady made a fighting stance. She knew that she was in very serious troubles. The prince had a very good argument to believe in his victory; their previous clash.

"Surrender! You're already surrounded!" A wyvern voice with terrible behind them screamed to them in dragon language. Stella just smiled slightly. She had to admit that wyverns had specific and yet, magnificent sense of humor. She saw Cynder smiling.

"Thinking about this same?" She guessed. The black dragoness bobbed her head quickly with amusement written all over her face. They were flying some corridor, behind them wyverns. And then, before them, they saw some soldiers appearing from behind the corner.

"Left!" The black dragoness ordered and all four dragons rapidly turned left. "Dante!"

"I know." The poet landed on the ground for a second, only to create a wall of earth closing the corridor behind them off. Despite twenty centimeters of rock, there could be heard loud curse, this time in wyvern language.

"You can't be escaping us like that forever!" The leader of pursuers shouted loudly. Cynder chuckled silently hearing that, the other three smiled slightly.

"I have to admit that I love their sense of humor." The black dragoness noticed.

"But the jokes end if they really surround us." Dante noticed. "Let's focus and remain silent." He suggested. All the dragons agreed silently and they flew quietly for several minutes. Then, dragons flew to some circular room, wide for at least fifty meters. There, there were awaiting wyverns. Lots of them, none of dragons even bothered himself to count. And all of them standing between them and three escapes, one at left, the other at right and the last one right in front of them. There was also the corridor they had just left, of course, but Dante had closed it off, which appeared to be very good idea because if not that, they would be completely surrounded.

"Give up, you can't escape!" Some wyvern shouted. Dante recognized him. It was Celo, the wyvern who still was holding a grudge against the earth dragon from their previous meetings in Celeste Tribu; one at the banquet and the second at some corridor where if not Tris, they'd most likely jump to each other's throat. Celo noticed Dante as well and electrified the poet with sight.

"Do we consider it?" Tris asked half jokingly. All her companions made fighting stances. Tris smiled and did it as well. "Yeah, that's what I counted on."

"I demand you to surrender." Celo ordered. "Unconditionally, right away. Maybe you will make it alive." The wyvern warned. He stood before his soldiers, wearing two ornamented gauntlets.

"I'm afraid we can't…" Tris started. Dante, seeing wyvern's straightening arm, created before his mate an earth pillar, but a little too slow. One of needles reached her chest. The wyverns attacked.

"Tris!" Dante watched her fearfully, but fire breather didn't fall. Stella and Cynder were already standing at the front, protecting the couple.

"It's rib, I'm fine!" Tris took the needle out of her skin, It went through only a little, luckily stopping at her rib. "Let's break through." Four dragons came to offensive. Dante and Tris obviously remained at the back, leaving the main fight to Stella and Cynder. None of wyverns was match to them. Both dragonesses were fighting mostly with their paws and tailblades, only rarely helping themselves with elements. As they went far enough for the wyverns to attack from behind as well, Cynder jumped on the back, Tris and Dante took care of the sides and Stella remained in the front. Their formation was heading forward slowly, some wyverns attacked, but they'd always quickly pull back, not wanting to be in range of dragon's element. Tris blocked some blow and leaned another attack. She charged the fire in her mouth. The wyvern, seeing what was coming, jumped away just in time to avoid the deadly flames. And then, while breathing fire, Tris noticed some sparkling object before her. Her eyes grew wide as she realized that it was small cherry bomb with its fuse almost completely burnt, flying only centimeters from her. Cynder noticed it as well and beaten her wing powerfully changing its direction. But it was too late. Tris shielded her head with paws when the bomb was about a meter from her. And then, there was nothing but powerful explosion.

Sable and Vixen spread their wings with pride of the children of Sueño and Canta. With hatred of banished orphans. With cold confidence that they wouldn't let the vengeance consume them. With might of the ones, who used to be members of Venganza. Both Sable's swords glowed intensively with gold light of electricity, in Vixen's paws, there appeared two daggers. Verdad waited for them with Lanzador in his right paw, wearing its metallic gauntlet with chain as well. The lightning dragon jumped into the air. Vixen threw both her daggers at him, but the king reflected both with his royal swords. Two blades rolled across the floor clanging loudly. But before they stopped, Sable was already right before the king, swinging his katanas from both sides. Verdad spun Lanzador sending one of Sable's katanas in the air, the another one straight to the ground. The lightning of those didn't electrocute the king, but was absorbed by the purple crystal. Verdad's original, one-handed sword appeared in his left paw and he tried with it to slash Sable's head, but dragon grasped hilt of his father's blade and swung it powerfully. In that moment he tried to stab his side with tailblade forcing king to block using Lanzador. Sable's tail wrapped around his katana and he caught the second one whirling above him in paw. The dragon jumped away swinging his sword, releasing a wave of lightning. He felt that his tail was scratched with Lanzador. He felt some change in his body, some strange feeling he couldn't understand yet… Verdad absorbed the element with Lanzador, but didn't even notice when Vixen flew behind him slashing his back quickly. The wyvern hissed angrily. After a second of hesitation, he hid his royal blade. He separated Lanzador into two parts and grasped each in paw. He quickly realized that taking his original sword was a mistake; he would be much faster with only Lanzador and the sword on his back would shield it partly. Verdad smiled slightly, as he turned at Vixen who was grasping both daggers.

"Oh, so dexterous, fast and skilled. Just like Canta." He recalled. Vixen hissed hatefully.

"Don't you dare saying this name!" She scolded him and attacked. The dragoness was very fast. Verdad straightened Lanzador, aiming at her with its point. And then, Sable's eyes grew wide.

"Vixen, don't…" He shouted, but too late. Sable had to admit that Zheek had very good reflex, one of features characteristic for free dragons. If not it, he wouldn't manage to fly to Vixen and push her away in order to take the blow of magic on his chest. The fire breather was thrown for twenty meters and crushed at some great pillar groaning painfully. For few seconds, he didn't move.

"Zheek!" Vixen, who was already on the ground, watched him fearfully.

"I'm fine." The fire breather muttered silently. He tried to stand up, but collapsed right away. "Or at least alive." He added after a moment. Verdad watched this situation with disappointment. If Vixen had been the one to take that blow on her face, he would have wringed her neck killing her instantly. And because Zheek protected her, the king did not only fail in eliminating the black dragoness, but didn't at least kill that fire breather.

"What was that? Can he use magic?" Vixen asked, shocked.

"No, he can't. He just absorbed mine." Sable explained. His sister watched him with not understanding sight. "As every medic, I have some slight magical potential, in theory, completely useless in battle. But Lanzador is such a specific weapon, that it absorbs every elemental and magical energy in touch. In the moment Verdad touched my tail, he sucked out whole my magic, which is especially sensitive to this purple crystal. And with it all focused in Lanzador, he released it all at once at you." While saying that, Sable hid his father's blade. "There are two good news: firstly, it was just one shoot, it won't repeat. Secondly, he can't absorb our elements this fast, it takes much longer. But there are two bad news as well. Firstly, if we get wounded you can't rely on my healing magic anymore. Secondly…" Sable watched his Dos Sables del Relampago glowing in his paws. "Despite the potential and beauty of this style, I'm afraid I can't afford to use it in this fight." The electricity covering his blades disappeared rapidly. "Keeping it up will only exhaust me and bring no profit." The lightning dragon explained giving his sister meaningful sight. She nodded with understanding. She had to be careful about her wind as well not to give her power to Verdad pointlessly. The king watched this situation quite impressed. He had already seen many youngsters proud of their new skill or strategy so much that they would completely forget that it had no right to work against their opponent. Nonetheless, they would try using it committing this mistake and ending up losing the duel and very often, their lives. But Sable wouldn't fall on this one.

"Zheek, are you alright?" The black dragoness watched her beloved with worries.

"I'm alive, Vixey." The fire breather assured her optimistically. His body burnt and he most likely had broken ribs. "Just deal with that wyvern." He suggested. Vixen nodded slightly.

In theory, the moment of jumping is very well seen, no matter how fast. Or at least that was what Verdad had believed before that little shape of her, already unclear because of darkness surrounding her, appeared right before him, swinging her paws at him quickly. Verdad reflected both of them. And that was exactly the moment when Sable jumped above the king, his katanas enclosing to wyvern's head. Verdad blocked both blows with his own horns and forced Sable to return back in the air with swing of Lanzador. His tailblade tried to sting Vixen's side, but little dragoness leaned beneath the blow and rolled away. Verdad jumped in the air, flying above Vixen who barely managed to avoid swings of both halves of Lanzador. He landed several meters farther, both dragons were already right before him, attacking the king. Verdad grinned to them. "Just as expected from children of Sueño." He admitted. All that replied him was doubled angry hiss.

Dante had underestimated the power of that little cherry bomb. Some fire, noise, nothing serious, as he had thought. Until the shockwave echoing through that small round hall threw him into the crowd of wyverns. All that he heard, it was a miracle that he could hear anything, by the way, was very high, intensive squeal. He slowly stood up, completely surrounded by wyverns, not seeing his companions at all. But, those soldiers weren't in much better state, everyone trying to stand up and groaning painfully. Dante's green scales appeared to be a great advantage. The poet stealthily slipped between the soldiers and headed to the exit from that hall. The others must have left it already, he couldn't see them anywhere after all. While passing by the wyverns, he realized that he had never seen real chaos. Maybe some mess. But never a real mess: painful screams, laying wyverns, bending in burns, covered in burns, no one really knowing what was going on… Anyone decided to use that bomb must have completely underestimated the power of this little explosive and forgotten about one important fact; they were in closed room. Big one, but still a room, where power of explosion was at least doubled. And then, his heart skipped a beat, as some thought appeared in his mind: Tris. She was standing the closest to that explosion. She was seriously wounded with no doubts. If she was alive. Dante kept thinking about that and then he stopped. He appeared to be standing in the dead end. Behind him, her heard silent laugh.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here?" The male voice asked him.

"Captain Celo…" Dante watched him carefully.

"The general I am. Many things changed since our last meeting." The wyvern said. Indeed, he was wearing quite heavy armor with characteristic sign of general on his shoulder.

"Once lived to heal, now to spread fear." Dante rhymed smiling slightly. He knew that Celo hated it, probably even more than the suggestion to his past as a medic. "Changeable person you are, from my understanding, by far." The poet grinned insolently, seeing that general didn't like it at all.

"Stop rhyming!" The wyvern made an offensive stance.

"You heal and kill, heal and kill…" Dante sighed deeply. "I fail to see the logic here!" He continued his little, improvised poem. The wyvern rushed to him in that very mad. It was very easy to provoke him and in fact, it was all that the poet needed. He wouldn't win a fair fight against the general who, oppositely to Dante, had been training martial arts since infancy. But if Celo was vexed a little, that would give dragon a chance for the opening.

"Is sanity a price to pay, for the soldiers to thee obey?" Dante wondered. And then, he leaned right beneath two mad swings of paws aimed for his throat. He jumped back and shot several earth bullets, but the corridor was simply to wide for Celo not to have room to avoid them all.

"Will you ever shut up?" The wyvern stung at Dante's throat, but poet blocked the blow.

"You must be insane indeed, as what you truly esteem…" Dante tried to slash enemy's chest, but Celo easily blocked it. The wyvern slashed arm deeply, forcing the earth dragon to pull back again. Dante felt a wall behind him. No good.

"So what now, cornered? Just die, could you?" Celo grinned triumphantly. That was exactly what Dante needed. The general didn't treat Dante as a serious opponent. And such not ostensible fighters had nasty tendency to surprise their enemy in the culminate moment. Or at least it always was so in the books he had read.

"As what you truly esteem…"

"Shut up!" The wyvern swung his paw at Dante, who caught it.

"Is blood. And the rest is…" The poet continued.

"Silence!" Celo yelled at him, swinging his paw horizontally, aiming exactly at dragon's throat. Through Dante's mind, there echoed a scary thought; he wouldn't make it in time to block. He was far too slow. And then, as he already realized he would die, there could be heard loud noise of electricity, as if the lightning hit right next to them. Celo just groaned silently and fell on the ground. Dante watched him dumbstruck, laying before his feet. Then he raised his sight and noticed the yellow dragoness.

"The guardian Stella, I see. I owe my life to thee." He smiled to her with relief.

"If you don't stop rhyming, you'll quickly fall in much more serious troubles."The guardian noticed. "And I may not be able to save you, just like your poetry can't."

"But in books it always worked." Dante said, as passing by Celo and walking to Stella. "You know, when you provoke much stronger than you enemy, he stops focusing and ends up losing to the…" Then, Stella put paw at his shoulder and smiled to him pitifully.

"Dante, welcome to reality." She said with greeting voice. "Now, we'd better be going." She suggested and two dragons started running; the corridor was too low for flight.

"Where are Tris and Cynder?" The poet asked with concern. He didn't really worry about the black dragoness, she could protect herself, rather about his mate.

"I have no idea, to be honest." Stella only shrugged. "When there was explosion, I barely managed to escape myself. Tris and Cynder were thrown in this same direction, so they're most likely together."

"Barely managed? What do you mean?" Dante asked. Stella stopped and then, the poet watched her left arm and side carefully. They were all covered in lots of burns and some still bleeding wounds. "I see." The power of blow must have been a serious problem to her in those first seconds after the explosion, the best time to escape.

"Yes, that's what I mean." The dragoness confirmed and they resumed running. "No worries about Tris, though." She said, seeing that Dante was a bunch of worries in that moment. "Cynder had reflected the most of explosion with wind, if not that, we wouldn't be running this corridor at this very moment."

"We're not going to look for them, are we?" The poet knew the answer. But he simply had to ask.

"It's completely pointless. We have no idea where could they have possibly gone. And besides, you know the plan." Stella gave him asking sight. "When the group gets separated…"

"We head to the exit." Dante finished.

"Exactly. We've already given Sable and the others very much time and caused some chaos. Tremor's group will be able to escape, there are two guardians and Ivory, after all, Sable and Vixen won't have much problems with doing that just as well. In fact, we are the ones that have to worry about themselves."

"Do you think Cynder and Tris will be fine?" The poet watched the guardian skeptically.

"Alive for sure." Across Stella's lips, there danced a smile. "To be honest, I wouldn't like to be the one attacking them in this moment. Convexity in the closed room…" She sighed deeply. "If you hear powerful explosion and notice whole Celeste Tribu shaking, that's not another bomb. That's Cynder." The guardian said and Dante forced himself to smile slightly. Thinking of all the stories he had heard about her, he realized that only person he should worry about was Dante himself.


	60. Chapter 59

Chapter 59. „Awakenings"

The first feeling? Pain. Not punctual, but overwhelming, unbearable. The second feeling was coldness. When her chest burnt in pain, her back felt like being put into freezing ice, or at least laying on very cold stone. The third feeling was probably the most surprising to her. It was relief, caused by the other two feelings. As long as it hurts, it means you live. The problem starts when it ceases to hurt, as Crag had told her one day. Tris opened her eyes slowly. Very slowly. She saw some black dragoness under her. Cynder smiled to her and sighed with relief.

"I was scared that you wouldn't wake up." She confessed. Tris raised her head. Or at least she meant to, because then, she groaned painfully, feeling terrible pain in her neck and chest. She coughed painfully, covering her mouth with paw. As she took it away, her eyes grew widely. Firstly, her paw, which hurt her intensively, was all over covered in burns. And secondly, she had just coughed up with blood.

"What has ha…" The fire breather started coughing with blood again.

"The bomb blown up right before you. I've reflected some of explosion with wind, but not all." Cynder explained. As Tris watched her, she realized that the black dragoness had right left side and wing burnt slightly. "You've taken the most of damage. You have burnt chest, neck and arms."

"You've bandaged the arms." Tris noticed, watching her arms wrapped in white fabric, in some places already soaking with blood. "Where do you have them from?" She asked and Cynder gave her surprised sight. "Bandages, I mean." Tris had lost her bag with bandages in whole that mess.

"From here." Cynder showed her some big medical bag. "A young wyverness... Esperanza gave me to it. What a noble soul. I found some balsam for burns which I used and took out the shreds from your arms."

"Shreds?" Tris watched her carefully.

"Right, in that bomb, there were metallic shreds which were shot at us. Didn't damage me seriously, but you had and still have lots of them in your body, mostly in your forearms. I've taken those from arms, but didn't move your chest." Cynder explained.

"Some have pierced my lung. Or it's a rapid change of pressure that damaged them for that I cough blood now." Tris wondered, which of these options was more plausible.

"Can you heal it?" Cynder asked with concern. She realized that those were serious wounds and didn't do anything about them only because she knew that whatever she tried, Tris would do it much better.

"Are you sure they won't find us here?" Tris looked around, disturbed. They were in some abandoned flat.

"Yes, I've lost wyverns, sneaked in here and closed it from inside. We have time." Cynder assured. "It took me a while to do it and get that medical equipment, but we're safe here."

"So much effort just for me." Tris smiled thankfully. "Thank you. It would be much easier for you just to escape them and leave me behind." She noticed.

"And so wrong. It's my duty to protect you. I'm not abandoning my companions." Cynder said, surprised by such words from young fire breather. "So, will you be able to heal it?"

"Give me a moment." Tris raised her head and watched her chest and belly carefully. Gently curved because of her pregnancy belly was practically untouched, to her relief. But she couldn't say this same about her chest, which took the most serious damage; it was all one great burn, covered in bloody lines and points left by the metallic shreds from bomb. She was lucky that those shreds hadn't enough energy to penetrate her body. She wouldn't survive the explosion, if they had. Tris focused magic in her paws , groaning, as she felt pain of burns in her paws. At first, she examined the damage in her body using very simple, basic healing magic. The damage was more serious than she expected; the pain in her body was constant and overwhelming, so she had been underestimating it until that moment. She cursed silently. She didn't want to die. The fire breather focused her magic more. It was very hard because of her pregnancy; she could barely feel the azure aura around her. And then, she squeaked painfully, azure aura disappeared.

"Tris!" Cynder watched her with worries. The red dragoness coughed up with blood. She closed her eyes, trying to fight the pain. Tris took several deep, slow breaths. This time, she tried doing that much slower, gentler. As the magic was growing in her, focusing in her paws, she doubled up in pain and screamed in agony. Cynder muted that noise with wind just in time. She watched young dragoness fearfully. Then, she heard silent, pitiful cry. Tears were flowing down Tris's eyes, as she was glaring at her bent fingers, all over covered in little burns.

"Pointless…" The fire breather whispered silently.

"Tris?" Cynder asked.

"I'm dying. My lungs won't keep it up for long, the blow was too strong. And I can't even focus magic. Not only because of my pregnancy. It's… the more I try, the more my paws hurt. The pain is just…" A simple tear flown down her cheek. "Unbearable." Tris finished. Such helplessness… If only her paws weren't burnt this seriously, maybe she could save herself. But now…

"Can I help? There's equipment in this bag." Cynder suggested.

"No, only…" Tris coughed with blood. "Only magic will help."

"But if it's a matter of pain, maybe I could find some painkillers? Won't it be good for you?" The black dragoness suggested. She opened the bag, looking for something.

"Give me the bag." Tris said quickly between coughs. The black dragoness put it before the fire breather. Young alchemist started studying the elixirs inside. She found something, opened a bottle, smelled fluid, but then hissed angrily and put it away and kept looking for something else. Soon, she put out of there several exactly this same bottles. Cynder grasped one of them. On it, there was written in both dragon and wyvern languages: Painkillers.

"Why not this one?" Cynder asked. Tris gave her quick glance.

"It's not a good one. If I take enough of it for it to work, it will intoxicate me and in such state, I won't focus magic either." The fire breather explained. She searched through all the elixirs: none of them was what she needed. No surprise, no medic would predict a need to heal himself, there were supposed to be other medics around, after all. She started studying herbs. Cynder watched the young alchemist carefully, as she opened her little, private alchemic book and started muttering something: most likely calling the different kinds herbs. This little book of hers was the only Tris's equipment that survived the explosion, only because it was hidden in a bag on her right side. The second, left bag where she had kept her little set of herbs and other equipment had been lost in the mess of that powerful explosion. Tris's brain was working intensively. She knew the recipe for proper elixir for her and there would be no problem, if she was in Warfang; she'd be able to prepare it for herself even in such a state only if she had proper ingredients, which were the real problem. She lacked several of them.

"Marigold and cat's claw." She whispered and covered her mouth while coughing. "Ironweed will replace it, if… There's none. Then maybe…" Tris looked deeper into the bag, searching for the right herbs. "There are Khat leaves and this is…" The fire dragoness watched some shiny, dark green leaf carefully. Because of pain, it was very hard to her to focus. "Peppermint. Just fine." Looking for all the herbs she needed took her quite long, Cynder lost sense of time. And then, Tris cursed silently and from her eyes, there dripped some tears. Curses didn't fit her at all, but tears did, in this sorrowful, pitiable way. She laid down and stopped looking for herbs.

"I can't do it. I can't even substitute the original herbs, they don't have anything useful in those bags." The fire dragoness said with desperate voice.

"Any ideas now?" Cynder asked. After all, from their two, Tris was a medic.

"No, not at all." The fire breather refused. Between them, there fell silence, each of them was analyzing their situation on her own. It lasted for just five minutes. Five unbearably long minutes. Cynder thought about catching some wyvern medic and forcing him to heal Tris. But she knew that medics were protected by soldiers, she had barely managed to only escape. So this option was out of question. For whole this time, young alchemist was considering one idea, unsure, if could she ask her companion for such an act. But she doubted, if there was any other solution.

"Cynder…" Tris sighed deeply. "I…" Her voice trembled. "I need to ask you for something."

"What is it?" The black dragoness watched her hopefully. But whole this hope disappeared all at once, as she met Tris's eyes. The young alchemist forced herself to smile despite the pain.

"I am at the very last stage of pregnancy. The egg is already developed enough to live beyond mother's body." The fire breather started. Cynder gave her an asking sight, missing the point of her words completely. And then, her heart skipped a beat and her eyes grew wide. She realized what Tris meant.

"Tris, no. I can't." The black dragoness refused.

"You have to. There's not much time left. I'm dying." Tris argued. "Here you have the right tools, all that you need. You have to take the egg out from me."

"Tris…" Cynder watched the fire breather with disbelief.

"You have to! I'm dying anyway and you still can save my child." A simple tear flown down her eye. "I beg you. You're mother as well. Wouldn't you do it for your daughter?" The medic argued. She hit the point. She knew she did.

"I can't do this. I don't know how." The black dragoness argued.

"There's no need. I'll…" The fire breather coughed up with blood. "Just do what I tell you." Tris said. "And whatever happens, don't give me painkillers. I need to stay clear-headed, if I want to bring this to the end." The medic said. Cynder remained silent for several seconds, full of doubts. "I know how you feel. But it's OK. I'm practically dead by now. What I ask you for is to save at least one of two lives." The black dragoness just sighed deeply.

"How much time do you have left?" She asked.

"An hour, maybe two. Not more." Tris explained. "It will be far more than enough for this… surgery." The fire dragoness assured, trying to smile. Cynder watched her in silence. This sorrowful silence.

"Ivory." A silent call echoed through white dragoness's mind. "Ivory!" Again, this same female voice, which she couldn't recognize, this time much louder. Ivory didn't move. She realized that she was laying. Where? She had no idea. She not really cared about it either, to be honest. This weakness overwhelming her… She wished she could just close her eyes and give up. Then, she heard steps towards her, the doubled ones. They stopped rapidly.

"Crona, stop." Some male voice said. Crona? Ivory was sure she must had misheard it. Could that be Crona in there? Whatever…

"No, Certo, I won't!" The dragoness refused again. Ivory heard steps once more. Those two… Ivory was certain that those were two dragons, stopped right before her. But she didn't react. She didn't care, she felt her soul dying slowly. "Ivory…" Crona called her with worried voice. "Please, wake up. You have to stand up. You have to fight." She pleased. In her words there was hidden… remorse?

"Crona, just let it go." The male called Certo pleased. "You can't help her." The male sounded as if he wanted to spare his companion pain. His voice sounded very warm, protective towards her, with some note of bitterness. In his short sentences there was something… Whoever that Certo was, he really loved Crona. Ivory couldn't see the black dragon placing paw on Crona's shoulder.

"It's allmy fault. If not me, it wouldn't happen. I should have stopped it, interfere or…anything." Crona whispered. A simple tear fell right next to Ivory. The white dragoness was very curious who were those newcomers. But curiosity wasn't motivation for her to stand up. She was tired of this all, brutally deprived of any strength. All that she waited for was to die now.

"It's not, Crona. You didn't cause it." Certo tried to console her.

"But I could stop it! It was my… She already suffered enough because of her magic. Of my magic." The white dragoness said bitterly. The male enclosed his head to hers and watched Ivory carefully. The magician could feel his sight on her.

"You won't stand up, will you? Sure, laying down and dying here is quite an option." The black dragon spoke to the medic directly. He sounded angry. At last, someone that understood Ivory, as the white dragoness thought. The male glared at her for several seconds. Then he snorted silently. "It's waste of time. She's weakling. She couldn't protect her mate, she won't be able to protect herself or her son either. She never could do a thing for Flush." The male turned with his back at Ivory. "Come on, Crona."

"Certo!" Crona scolded him angrily. She couldn't believe he'd say such a thing.

"Certo." Ivory whispered silently, she opened her eyes slightly, watching the black male hatefully. "I'll protect my son." She assured with determination, which appeared in her from nowhere. Hearing name "Flush" woke something in her heart up. The black dragon jerked his head and watched her carefully for several seconds. Then, he grinned, turned around and gave her a paw.

"Then stand up." He suggested with satisfaction. Ivory grasped his paw and male helped her get back on legs. It was quite hard task for her not to fall, she didn't feel very strong. Her limbs shook and she would fall, but Certo caught her just in time. "Can you stand?" He asked. She watched Certo carefully. Despite scars covering his body, she recognized the characteristic features of his; well, she wouldn't be very surprised if Certo was relative to Cynder. The black dragon smiled to his, as Ivory guessed, beloved.

"Crona, you won't motivate her just standing before her and crying." He noticed. Crona just sighed deeply. So he had planned this all.

"And I thought that just by following your life I'd know you, Ivory." She said to Ivory.

"Following me?" The white dragoness watched her carefully. "How do you know me? Who are you?"

"I am Crona. You've already heard of me, haven't you?" Chronicler's granddaughter noticed. "And he's Certo, my mate." The last words didn't really surprise Ivory. Though the most of dragons would miss it, she could hear this characteristic hint when they were talking to each other. "Ivory, I believe I owe you an explanation. You surely want to understand this all."

"What is this place?" Ivory asked. They were closed within some dark sphere. She already caught herself on losing sight for a second because of belief that there was no light source in the room, so she couldn't see anything. What a weird world…

"I've closed you off from that spirit in this part of mind that still belongs only to you and stopped time around us for the time being." Crona explained and the medic nodded with understanding. Manipulating time just like that… So impressive.

"What am I? And what are you?" She continued her questioning. "My magic has something to do with you, doesn't it?" Ivory guessed.

"I'm its reason, in fact." Crona confirmed. "You see, my grandfather, the previous Chronicler wanted to save me. I was dying. And so, he used his talents and bent time a little. Or at least he meant so only a little. Something went wrong and he saved me, but… not exactly as he meant."

"What do you imply?" Ivory jerked her head curiously. Certo sat down in meanwhile. He knew this story even too well.

"As I said, something went wrong. He did not only save me, but also, caused something like my realms to appear throughout the time." Crona put it simply.

"Realms? How? What exactly do you mean?" The white dragoness kept asking her out about this. She really wanted to understand this all.

"I don't know it either, I can't explain the reasons, only the effects. And the effect is that there keep appearing dragons, maybe not exactly by definition but still dragons, that are gifted with special talents. But such a talent always has its comparable price. Mine is an element and colorless scales. Sin's, for example, were both wings, clear scales and the element." Crona explained. Ivory's eyes grew wide, as some idea appeared in her mind.

"So my price was…" She took a deep breath. "My weak ice is a…"

"No, you're not a realm of hers, Ivory." Certo refused. "Your two were born in almost this same moment." He knew that it was medic's guess. Ivory jerked her head at him, almost indignant.

"Certo's right. You're a normal dragon, just like him. Or rather you're normal, but not exactly." Crona confirmed.

"Just like me." The black dragon added, smiling.

"Exactly. You've gained your magic in another way." His beloved continued.

"Which is?" Ivory wondered.

"You've inherited it." The Chronicler's granddaughter clarified. "Almost every realm that lived before me and after Sin, which was about one thousand years ago, is your ancestor. The shreds of magic of all the realms were cumulated in you, so you have your power. That's why your eyes are glowing slightly all the time. Normal dragon body isn't used to such a magical potential as yours." She explained. "I followed your family tree, curious and concerned how would you deal with such a gift. Or rather a burden."

"So that's the reason of my power." Ivory said, most likely to herself. "I see now. Tell me what is this… spirit trying to kill me." She pleased.

"Lian, probably the most famous ancestor of yours had very specific… defect. In her mind, there was created another personality, an artificial… soul. Not the perfect word to describe it, but the best one. It's not exactly a soul, as once it loses all bodies, it vanishes, but it has something like its own mind. This spirit feeds on emotions, absorbing them and living on them. The great part of Lian's potential was sealed off by that spirit, released only by pressure of powerful emotions, just like yours." Crona said. "You have inherited this spiritual being with other talents of your ancestors. That's why you have it. It has a separate will and sooner or later will try to take you over."

"I'm really grateful for that you tell me this all. To be honest, I've never thought I would understand this all fully." Ivory thanked her. "So now, will you help me kill it?"

"I can't." Crona shrugged helplessly. "I haven't seen the fight of yours, no one could in fact, and no one ever had fought such a thing as you will."

"So you can't help me?" Ivory asked disappointed.

"Not personally." The Chronicler's granddaughter agreed. "I can't help you there, neither give you the strength. You fight her in your mind, I can't interfere there, just closing you off from that spirit was barely possible."

"But we can always advise you." Certo noticed. Both white dragoness watched him curiously. "What? I know that spirit as well as you do." He said, seeing that both females seriously doubted in his knowledge of magic. After all, out of them three, he was the only dragon with no typical magical skills.

"So, what do you suggest?" Ivory watched him carefully. So did Crona, ready to correct him, if he said something wrong.

"This spirit feeds on your emotions. Both anger and euphoria make it stronger when fear or despair weakens it. If you want to win, you have to shut your emotions off for this fight." Certo said. "Can you do this?"

"I can." Ivory assured. "So, no emotions."

"Right. Besides, use an element of surprise." The black dragon continued. "Whole our conversation will seem a fraction of second to that spirit and just a moment ago, firstly, it believed that it won and secondly, you were in despair, so this very moment will be just perfect opportunity to strike it, maybe even finish it. Am I correct?" Certo turned at his beloved.

"You are." Crona confirmed. "Remember that physical laws don't work in that place."

"Yes, I've already noticed." Ivory nodded. "No gravity, no pain, no body, moving not by muscles but thoughts and ability to dematerialize. In fact, it still works in this way." She smiled slightly. "I've almost collapsed because I thought I was weak and I will most likely collapse… What a paradox."

"Control your thoughts." Crona advised. "Don't think that you're weak because you'll become weak, don't consider such thing as pain or it will paralyze you. Even if you can't feel it."

"Understood." Ivory took a deep breath. "No euphoria, no fear. Focus on the fight and the spirit. So, I think I'm ready to fight." She declared confidently.

"So we're going by now, aren't we?" Certo suggested.

"Mhm." The Chronicler's granddaughter bobbed her head once. "Just one thing more, Ivory."

"What is it?" The medic asked.

"Since I live beyond time, there has already appeared another realm with special talents. She'll need your help and I hope she'll receive it." Crona explained. "Her talent is very dangerous, used in wrong way, it may cause many beings to die."

"Only if I meet her, I will learn her to control it. Do you know where I should look for her?" Ivory asked and the white dragoness smiled slightly.

"Well, I know that barely you leave Celeste Tribu, you will meet her." Crona assured.

"How can you know? Can you see the future?" The medic asked and the second dragoness laughed silently.

"No, no, I can't." She refused quickly. "I only know that you'll meet her according to what had happened to you this far."

"Can you give me at least her name? I won't miss her then for sure." Ivory suggested.

"You won't miss her anyway. A star that cannot reach the sky. That's all I'll say." Crona smiled mysteriously. The medic considered those words carefully, but she didn't know who could she mean. "Well, it's time for us. Goodbye Ivory." Crona said and grasped her beloved's paw. "I'd love to talk with you a little longer, but it's already time for us. Maybe we'll meet again once?"

"I'd love to. There still are so many things I'd want to ask about. Goodbye and thank you for your help." The white dragoness smiled to them. "Certo, thanks for this motivation of yours." The black male grinned in specific, harsh, feral a little way.

"Just remember, Ivory. Emotionless." He said. The white dragoness bobbed her head once and took a deep breath. And then, both Certo and Crona disappeared, the time was going on normally. The spirit was standing there, about ten meters from her, weakened with Ivory's previous depression. And then, it took a powerful blow of magic, which threw her in the air. Or rather void. The spirit stopped several meters higher, floating in the air, as if standing on the glass floor. Ivory watched it partly surprised; she still couldn't get used to lack of gravity.

"Thou art still standing!" The spirit screamed, surprised.

"Yeah." Ivory confirmed coldly. She watched her paw. She wasn't transparent any more. So those were the rules of this game; if you hit enemy, you absorb part of him. The one who disappears, loses. And perishes. Pretty simple. "So, round two?" Ivory suggested. Not excited, but cold as the ice, exactly as Certo told her to be. The spirit just snorted hatefully.


	61. Chapter 60

Chapter 60. "How it works"

"Life! The miracle of life is marvelous and inconceivable! It truly is a mysterious and almighty power!" That was what Farady could be thinking realizing that she still was alive after being closed in one room with Principe Oscuro, even though voice of reason kept bombarding her with arguments that in that very moment, it was almost her duty to be laying on the ground, drowning in the puddle of her own blood. And yet, still there she was: alive and even unscratched. But there was the second side of this coin as well; Oscuro was there too, unscratched as well. And oppositely to her, he wasn't shivering in exhaust and fear. The prince stood several meters from Farady leaning against his sword. He wasn't even sweaty. This break was definitely for Farady, not him.

"Impressive, as for you." Oscuro admitted. "I expected you to be dead by now."

"I feel insulted." The lightning dragoness said, even though in her mind she could hardly disagree with him.

"Kid, let's be honest. There's a great difference between us. Even with your brother you weren't a threat to me just two weeks ago. And now?" The wyvern didn't mince his words and the message was clear: surrender. In fact, Farady only waited for him to give her this offer; a perfect opportunity to buy herself some time.

"Something changed, Oscuro." The free dragoness assured. "I'm not at this same level as just two weeks ago." She didn't hurry with a fighting stance: the time was her ally, after all.

"Farady, just surrender. You know that you can't win." The prince offered.

"No, I don't know that. What I know is that if I surrender, you won't let me alive. Not me. You're still holding a grudge against me for me and Zheek's hunting you."The lightning dragoness disagreed. Across Oscuro's lips, there danced a gentle smile.

"At this point, you didn't surprise me at all." He lifted his sword above the ground and aimed with its point at Farady. "Oh, this beautiful, romantic fight." The wyvern watched her carefully."This time, it will end up with death." He promised. Farady forced herself to smile slightly. He didn't say whose. She felt a little better thinking that, even if her voice of reason wasn't supporting her at all, suggesting the obvious result; her own demise. Farady watched wyvern's sword carefully. And then, he attacked. He was fast, this annoying voice in her head said that even too fast to dodge. But Farady leaned beneath it anyway, just in time. The swing of paw was coming from the side, but she blocked and attacked. Fast horizontal swing of talons missed chin of Oscuro's, who stood back and stung aiming at her left side with sword. The dragoness reflected this blow with tailblade, the electricity already glowing in her jaws. She released powerful lightning , but then, from floor between them appeared an earth pile, which shielded the prince. Farady hissed in angry disappointment. But she wasn't done attacking. The dragoness jumped at the right to the pillar and came up with several fast swings of paws. The position was just perfect for her because Oscuro's sword was blocked by the pole in that moment, so he was forced to block her with only one paw. And yet, wyvern blocked four quick blows, the last one not with paw, but just hitting her forearm with elbow. It came not without easiness, but he had enough time to jump back and then, step forward with sting at Farady's heart. The lightning dragoness shielded herself with the gauntlet; wyvern's blade slipped by it quickly. And then, she saw his paw enclosing to her face. Farady blocked it with second, unarmored arm. Tremor's training had some results. Oscuro grasped her forearm and with rapid move of paw tore some of her muscles off. The dragoness screamed painfully. She attacked with both paws, Oscuro leaned back avoiding the gauntlet and caught the second one. The lightning dragoness had to put her armored arm on the ground to avoid collapsing. And then, the prince brought her to him and hit her jaws powerfully with forehead. From the floor, there appeared an earth pillar, about to pierce her chest. Very dirty move at the distance this short. Farady managed to grasp it in such way that it didn't pierce her but only lifted and threw away for several meters, rolling across the ground. The dragoness stood up slowly and watched her arm, all covered in blood. She realized that prince wanted to take her alive, but wouldn't take an unnecessary risk to achieve that. Killing her wasn't so bad option for him.

"Maybe now you surrender? You still have a chance." Oscuro suggested.

"I'll have to reject this offer." Farady refused. If she had to die, she wanted to do it in battle, not judged and executed by wyverns. Definitely less troublesome solution. The prince just sighed deeply. More trouble for him. In two long steps, he reduced distance to only two meters. Farady wanted to pull back, but there was no time already. All that remained was to defend herself. She managed to block the sword of his with paws without getting poisoned and then, she stabbed with the other paw. Oscuro grasped wrist of her wounded arm. A second later, he started spinning it. The dragoness already knew this scenario and she really liked her arm in the way it is; not dislocated. She released her paw from grasp with sudden pull and jumped back. That was her strategy: pull back, pull back, prey for reinforcements to come, pull back and the circle goes on… Not really ambitious, but she'd at least make it alive. As long as she'd follow the plan and there would be no.. And then, Farady rapidly stopped, as she felt a wall behind her. Her lips moved in silent curse, the neck bent, as Oscuro's sword flew right next to it sticking in the wall. Farady leaned down, just in time to avoid his horizontal slash of blade that left long rift in wall behind her until it reached the ground. Farady attacked swinging with gauntlet at his throat. The wyvern jerked his head and stepped away so all that Farady hit was air. Surprised with no block, she lost balance and fell behind the prince, collapsing, but quickly rolling. The prince turned around and swung the blade, but Farady was already beyond his reach. She smiled triumphantly. Now, she had many meters of ground behind her to pull back, so many priceless seconds for her…

"Are you going to keep escaping me for eternity?"Oscuro asked with disbelief.

"We have time. I can't attack hurriedly like you. It would be reckless." Farady noticed, thanking in mind for this conversation. Several seconds of rest.

"You won't win, if you don't attack." The prince said smiling slightly.

"But I will neither die." The dragoness riposted. "If someone finally comes." Her mind added. This time, she managed to make the defensive stance, but only to roll away from another blow of his. Farady wondered why was she doing a defensive stance if she wouldn't even try to block, if she had time for time. She bounced back with arms, landing on her hinder legs. And that was the moment when Farady saw an opening. The high time, pretty risky, but now or never. Farady chose now. She bounced with her hinder legs, straight to Oscuro. She swung arm with gauntlet at him, but wyvern blocked it with sword. In that moment, the momentum of dragoness's turned them over. Farady felt resistance, as hundreds of thorns of her gauntlet pierced through Oscuro's chest scales, even if shallowly. Then, he kicked her away powerfully. The dragoness crushed against the wall. And then, she saw blade flying at her. Farady didn't even manage to move when wyvern's blade pierced her left shoulder. She clenched jaws, but didn't let a voice out, even if she wanted to scream so much. She took it out from her arm quickly, not without pain, shredding her wound nastily. Just several seconds later, she felt weakness overwhelming her. It was poisoned with no doubts. Even sudden bleeding out of hers couldn't weaken her this rapidly, no matter how painful. The wyvern stood up slowly. Whole his right side of chest was covered in blood. He grinned ominously.

"Now, I've got you." He said triumphantly. And then, he took from his belt some bottle and drank it. It was an antipoison against the liquid covering dragoness's gauntlet. At least Oscuro believed so and he was really surprised when he fell to the knees.

"What the…" He asked himself with disbelief. Farady smiled slightly, for a second forgetting in how bad situation she was.

"It's not this same poison as the last time. Thank Tris for that." She explained using this same sentence as when Oscuro used that antidote in their previous fight. Oscuro collapsed, but managed to lean with his back against the sword which he stuck behind him. Farady watched him with satisfaction. If she was going to die, she wasn't going alone. And so, two of them were laying on the floor, unable to stand up, slowly dying. In Farady's mind there appeared some desperate thought that if Tremor and others were about to come, that was the high time to at least bid her goodbye. But they didn't seem to hurry at all.

Viola and Leal were stepping very carefully, watching each other all the time. The dragoness perfectly realized that Leal's light armor, sword and needle-shooting device were great advantages to her enemy., so she had to be careful. The wyverness jumped forward and slashed with sword horizontally. Viola stepped back avoiding it and shot an ice spike. Leal deflected it with powerful blow of wind. An azure bullet crashed at the wall somewhere behind her with sound similar to breaking glass. Two females continued their circles, waiting for another opportunity to attack. This time, Viola was first. She shot an ice spike at enemy's legs, Leal jumped back. Then, she felt her feet sleeping on the sheet of ice. The princess realized that an ice spike was just a decoy and it was the real purpose of that shoot; to freeze the ground behind her so that she would slip in that very moment. And Viola was already jumping to her with claws. Leal shot the needles in floor right behind her. Those stuck in there blocking her foot and she managed not to collapse. The dragoness attacked from below and Leal took the blow at her gauntlet. She tried to swing the sword horizontally at her, but Viola shielded herself with tailblade. And then, to wyverness's surprise, using the strength of blade's blow, Viola skated across the ice next to her with obviously trained easiness and slashed Leal's side deeply. The wyverness squeaked with surprise and swung her tail blindly, while jumping away. She stood beyond the sheet of ice and watched her side. The wound wasn't as deep as expected. Viola jerked her head to watch her arm. No wound. Very positive news for her, since wyvern's tailblade is poisonous and she had no antidote. Viola turned back at Leal and then, she rolled on the side, avoiding three needles flying at her. The dragoness felt a blow of wind and then those turned direction piercing her arm painfully. Viola pulled back a little and Leal jumped above the sheet of ice landing at its verge. Two fighters continued making circles. That was their style of fighting; no blind rushing in, but careful attacks and pulling back. They were studying enemy, learning her style, advantages and disadvantages and once learnt any, trying to use it. Viola shot an ice spike to Leal, who just stepped aside. An attack from distance wasn't key element of her strategy, oppositely, she couldn't do very much with it. But she could always provoke Leal to make some mistake.

"Are you going to keep distance for eternity?" Leal asked skeptically.

"So come closer, you're welcome." Viola suggested.

"Who trained you in battle?" The wyverness kept the distance. She didn't feel very confident after the last trick of dragoness's.

"I was being trained by the best masters of ice of the eastern city. I was supposed to become the elder of the city one day." Viola explained.

"And then you met Sable. Do you know how many plans you've ruined?" The wyverness asked hatefully.

"My apologize for not including the broken heart of a wyvern noble who I didn't even know or care about into my love." Viola said sarcastically. "Sable loves me, not you. You won't change that."

"If I kill you, it will be a step forward." Leal disagreed. She wasn't an easily surrendering type.

"And two steps back." The dragoness smiled slightly. "Sable will hate you. I can't even promise if won't he kill or at least cripple, if he meets you."

"He doesn't have to know that it was me." Leal noticed. "I can always lie to him that I let you alive."

"Even if he believed, he doesn't love you at all. And he won't, you're far too coldly calculated." Viola said absolutely convinced that she was right.

"Excuse me?" Leal watched the dragoness carefully.

"If you loved him, why didn't you follow Sable when he was banished? You didn't really care about him, you let him go just like that." Viola accused her. Leal giggled silently.

"You don't understand anything. Sable would return to me one day. And if I left, I'd indivertibly lose my position in Celeste Tribu." The princess explained herself. "I can't just rush in and screw everything up."

"Screw up?" The ice dragoness asked with disbelief. "How contemptible." She remained focused, aware that Leal could attack by surprise. "If you loved him, you would just abandon this all and go after him. If you valued him above everything then maybe you'd have a chance. But in such a situation, you can't win. Deception will be revealed sooner or later." Viola knew what she was talking about. After all, it was Sable for whom she waived a chance to become the elder of her home city one day.

"That's your point of view." Leal noticed. Before she finished that sentence, she was already in halfway to Viola, swinging her sword. She stung, the dragoness reflected blow with talons sending the blade above her. Leal tried to aim at her with gauntlet but the dragoness hit it powerfully lifting it above wyverness's head blocking her sword, so she couldn't move neither of arms. And the second paw of Viola's was already enclosing to her throat. Leal jumped back just in time and leaned beneath an ice spike. Viola ran after her, swinging her paws, forcing the princess to pull back. Leal shot three needles from the gauntlet, but the dragoness rapidly pressed against the wall letting those pass by her. Viola shot an ice spike aiming for Leal's feet. The wyverness jumped back and then, she slipped and collapsed, realizing that she had just stepped on the ice. Viola was about to get her when Leal noticed three needles in the ground next to her. She took them and threw to the dragoness. Viola created before herself a wall of ice protecting herself. In this same moment, Leal pulled herself slipping across the ice and stood up on the other end of its sheet. Viola broke the ice wall quickly. Two females were standing on opposite sides of already melting frozen ground. Leal hid her sword. The dragoness had already made an analyze of her opponent; confident, but not cocky. Skilled, but committing mistakes sometimes. Not very fast. Much better at the long than close distance. Needles and wind were very problematic combination. Viola's strategy was simple: to keep pressing her with attacks, waiting for the wyverness to commit a mistake, which she could use. She already guessed what would be Leal's strategy. She would try to keep distance, pulling back, not rushing at her. Viola was too good for Leal to fight at the close distance; that was the moment when princess realized that with just policy she couldn't do everything. She wasn't used to such… aggressive negotiations. Leal straightened her arm aiming at Viola. She couldn't let her get any closer.

"You'd better not step any closer." Leal suggested. "I won't miss." Viola just chuckled silently.

"Surprised, aren't you? You've spent your whole life on policy, ignored fencing and only because we are quite adequate, you believed I had done exactly this same." The ice dragoness sighed deeply. "What a terrible mistake." She summed up.

"Terrible mistake of yours is to stand here, about to be pierced by my needles." Leal riposted.

"I hope you already realized that you'll miss at least twice more, don't you?" Viola noticed. And then, the wyverness shot, releasing a blow of wind in this same moment. The ice dragoness knew what she meant, so she only raised her paws and heard noise of needles bouncing from the ground right beneath her. The princess reloaded quickly and shot again. This time, Viola shielded her face with tailblade. Success again. And then, the dragoness started running. Leal hissed angrily and reloaded. She expected the ice dragoness to slip on the sheet of ice, but Viola was running through those without any problem; oppositely to Leal, she was sticking her talons into the ground to push herself forward. Leal shot for the third time, aiming at the chest, but the dragoness jumped to the side avoiding them. In the moment she still was in the air, powerful blow of wind threw her back. Viola watched how with a trained movement Leal reloaded her gauntlet once more. She realized that the wyverness must have been training this for very long. The dragoness fell on the ground. Leal pressed the trigger accelerating the needles with wind, perfectly knowing that Viola had no time to dodge. She didn't commit a mistake of trying so, but stopped the needles on the ice wall right before herself. Viola sighed with relief as she pressed her back against the wall. That was far too close.

"Stick your head from behind this wall and I'll shoot it off." Leal promised aiming with the gauntlet.

"You've missed at least twice in a row. I've lost count to be honest. Why not the third time?" Viola asked insolently.

"You can check for yourself." Leal suggested grinning ominously. They remained on their positions, not moving at all. Both of them were stuck. But in not more than minute, wyverness's smile disappeared. "I don't understand."

"What is it?" Viola asked, surprised.

"Sable. What does he love you for? You've done so little for him. You're weak, helpless. For all those years, I kept focusing the power, the influence of Celeste Tribu in my paws, waiting for him to return and you… You've done nothing!" Leal shouted with envy. "You've given up on your influence in the dragon eastern city! You've even turned down an offer of becoming at least an envoy! Do you have any idea how few wyverns could at least dream to become an envoy or royal messenger?"

"Leal…" Viola sighed deeply. "It doesn't work this way." She explained.

"No, it must work!" Leal shouted. "I've done this all for Sable, for that he could return to his home! You have no idea how many lives I've sacrificed or personally taken away to get this far! Everything that had happened in Celeste Tribu in last fifteen years, every banishment, every betrayal… It's all because of me, for Sable! If only he wants, now, he can rule Celeste Tribu! I can offer him anything that he would wish. And you give him nothing…" Her voice trailed off. "But he chose you."

"Everything but love, Leal. You can give him everything but love." Viola leaned against the wall of ice. She already felt it melting. "And love is all that he needs, not power, not influence throughout the world." The ice dragoness said, almost pitying Leal. "You can't buy his sympathy, leave alone love. And the last thing he would take from you is power earned with blood."

"But…" The wyverness tried to argue.

"Let it go, Leal. Just let it go." Viola suggested. "Turn around and go. I won't gain anything by killing you, neither you will by killing me." She argued.

"Quit this crap!" Leal shouted. She shot three needles next the ice wall, but bent their path with blow of wind, so all three bullets flew right next to Viola, even if she believed that she was shielded with the wall behind her. The dragoness quickly froze the ground before her creating much bigger wall, this time completely closing off two females from each other. That would be enough for sure. Leal smiled with contempt seeing that.

"Are you really that scared to keep hiding?" She asked with disbelief. Viola leaned against the ice wall in the place where she had been sitting a moment ago.

"Well, I'm just cautious. No one likes the situation when your interlocutor aims at your throat considering an option of pulling trigger." Viola explained herself with surprisingly calm voice as for somebody who had just avoided death. "And now, as long as this ice wall is still there, we can talk calmly." The dragoness suggested. In Leal's mind, there appeared thought that if only Viola wanted, she could just turn around and escape; this ice wall didn't look really fragile. Such a situation would be…inadmissible. Not when Leal had a real chance to kill her.

"And what is it that you'd like to talk with me?" The princess wondered.

"Well, we could discuss why it's me that Sable loves, not you…" In that moment, she heard three needles piercing into the wall, stopping in half of block of ice right behind her. The ice dragoness chuckled silently. Not without satisfaction she realized that she had vexed Leal and she didn't have to worry about her for the time being. The wall was too thick. "You could learn something new, Leal." Viola noticed. The wyverness just hissed hatefully.

"You'd better not provoke me." She warned with fury glowing in her eyes, as she reloaded her gauntlet. In meanwhile, Viola stood up and made a step on the side where ice was a little thinner and much more transparent to have clean vision of the wyverness.

"Or what will you do?" The dragoness wondered with insolent hint. In that moment, Leal drawn her sword and aimed at the dragoness.

"It will be the very last thing…" The princess interrupted in half of sentence, as she realized that something was very wrong. Viola had just shot an ice spike which pierced through the ice wall with practically no resistance. Watching the pieces of ice floating in the air, Leal understood that dragoness had made that part of wall much thinner in order to attack by surprise. But it already was far too late in the moment when the ice spike snatched her blade away hurting her paw and momentum broke her finger. Viola was already running, emerging from the mist of ice shreds. Leal stepped back and shot blindly all three needles. One of them missed, two wounded Viola's shoulder, but the dragoness kept running. Leal knew that there was no time to reload her gauntlet, she only took a deep breath and shot powerful blow of wind. Viola stuck her talons into ground and straightened her wings, but in such a way that powerful stream of air didn't lift her, but even pressed to the ground. In one jump Viola decreased distance to the wyverness to only half a meter and slashed with talons horizontally. Leal blocked her talons with metal gauntlet and felt burning pain in arm, as bent armor spiked her skin. She tried to slash Viola with right paw, but dragoness jerked her head back and then, bitten into her forearm strongly making sure that her arm wouldn't slip away despite steel armor. Leal hissed painfully. She slashed with arm forcing Viola to drop her. The dragoness opened her jaws and leaned her head back, one talon slashed her lower lip. She stabbed Leal's chest, her paw was stopped again by the light armor, which barely withstood the blow. Leal jumped back, but Viola pushed forward. She didn't want to give her even a second of rest. The wyverness tried to sting with talons, but Viola caught it and hit wall with it powerfully, wishing to have broken several bones of enemy and causing such a pain that Leal couldn't use that paw for sure. And then, the dragoness jumped next to her, her tail wrapped around enemy's throat choking her. Leal tried to slash Viola's tail, but the azure dragoness quickly blocked her paw and reflected blow of tailblade. With clenched fist, she hit side of princess's head powerfully. Leal saw stars, even though they were in a tunnel, and fell on the ground. Viola stood on wyverness's tail, all the time choking her. Leal watched the dragoness with unconscious sight. She felt so sleepy, so weak… But once she would fall asleep, she would never wake up, she had to release herself. Leal was drifting away slowly, too weak to do anything. And then, Viola released her grasp and stood aside. The princess took a deep breath, enjoying the air filling her lungs like never before. She watched Viola completely dumbstruck. The wyverness tried to stand up, but then, the dragoness hit her powerfully. The princess collapsed, at her cheek, there appeared three bloody crimson lines.

"I won't kill you. But don't you dare to stand up." The dragoness revealed her intentions. She wiped out the blood covering her lips. She hoped there would be no scar after that wound.

"Why?" Leal didn't ask, but demanded answer, as if she was in position to do so.

"At first, I was sure that I would kill you, not without pleasure. But it's not something that Sable would wish me to do." The ice dragoness explained. "Assassinations, killing, intrigues, cloak of deceptions and lies… Those are your ways. That's why you lost Sable. Of course if we assume that you've ever had him." Viola stopped for a second or two to watch Leal's surprise and anger. "I'm above this. I am above you." The dragoness turned around and started walking away slowly.

"You're not! With me, Sable could be so much more! I could give him whatever…" Leal tried to refuse.

"Leal…" In Viola's voice, there could be heard pity, but she didn't turn around. "Open your eyes. Love can't be bought, even with whole gold of the world. It doesn't work like that." The ice dragoness walked the corridor slowly, leaving princess behind. The fight was over, Leal couldn't fight. Not due to wounds, but to ice dragoness' voice echoing in her heart. Now, even despite all the hatred, deeply in her heart, Viola really pitied that blind, despaired wyverness.


	62. Chapter 61

Chapter 61. "Foe from before"

Candice hit the barrier surrounding her with paws, hoping to break it. Good plan, almost as good as throwing stones trying to crush Warfang city walls. She realized how powerful Ivory was and that she'd most likely break her arm hitting the barrier before she managed to damage it. And even if she managed to release herself, she'd have to be fast enough to reach Ivory and knock her out. Failed try would end up with broken bones as well. If lucky, of course. It depended on power of possible Ivory's blow. Sweet, if she miraculously released herself she'd just fall into troubles. What a charming prospect, as Candice realized ironically. And then, she heard some fight. She looked at the hole in the floor where Farady had fallen. That youngster was somewhere there, fighting Oscuro, unable to fly, unable to escape. It's true that Tremor had been training her for last two weeks, but it wasn't enough. It couldn't be enough and they knew that if such a situation happened, Farady couldn't face him. And definitely not alone.

"Ivory." Candice called the ice dragoness, standing right before Tremor, so that she could kill him, if only guardian decided to do something stupid.

"Hm?" The white dragoness kept watching Tremor, enjoying the moment.

"Let me go. I have to help Farady." Candice pleased.

"And why should I care about her? She's meaningless, a bound this weak that I can just ignore it." Ivory replied with her voice doubled by magic.

"Ivory…" The ice guardian tried to argue.

"Just shut up, neither of you go anywhere until I'm done with him. Say a word and I shall close thee off completely so thou run out of oxygen in several minutes. " Ivory watched the earth guardian furiously. "Let me enjoy this moment." It sounded as if she pleased, but neither of guardians could disagree in their situation.

"So this is what you really want?" Tremor asked Ivory.

"I want so many things. But the first I durth is vengeance." The spirit controlling Ivory's body said.

"And will my death change anything?" The guardian asked her doubtfully.

"Don't even try to make excuses! It's all thine fault!" The white dragoness shouted. "If not thou.."

"I've never even tried to make an excuse, Ivory. I know that Flush's death is my fault. I only ask you, if my death will change anything." The guardian explained. He spoke honestly, he knew that he could have saved Flush, if only he had made the right choice years earlier.

"It shall, Tremor, you have nay idea how much." Ivory promised. Her tail wrapped around Tremor's throat, but the earth dragon didn't react. She didn't intend to kill him yet and he didn't want to provoke her. Ivory's tailblade appeared right before his face.

"And what exactly?" Tremor wondered.

"The first thing is the personal satisfaction of mine." The spirit started. "Thou hath nay idea how badly I hath sought thine death for all those years. Ivory was very wise, she kept avoiding thee perfectly knowing that thine presence maketh me stronger. She didn't want to risk. But one day, we had to meet. The second thing is that I shall break all unnecessary bonds Ivory had created keeping only one. In whole world, I need just one person for that I could become even more powerful."

"Who do you mean?" Candice asked.

"Haven't I told thee not to say even a word?" Ivory jerked her head at the ice guardian watching her with annoyance. Suddenly, a magical barrier appeared from nowhere and hit her head powerfully. Candice lost balance and would collapse, if she didn't lean against the wall of barrier surrounding her. "This is the very last warning of mine. Your next word shall be your demise." She turned back at Tremor.

"You're personification of Ivory's feelings, but unbound, not tempered. Would you harm Candice? She's Ivory's friend from childhood." Tremor noticed. He tried to catch her on some misstatement, confuse her and weaken her mental protection, so that Ivory could regain control. If it was still possible, of course.

"I could, only if she endangerth filling my wishes." The spirit explained. "I shall not bow to anyone."

"Who do you want?" Tremor repeated his mate's question. The white dragoness giggled ominously.

"Dost thou really hath belief that your position is proper to question me?" The spirit touched Tremor's lips with her tailblade. "I shall not tell thee." She refused watching Tremor with amusement. "And what shall thou dost now?" She asked insolently. Oh, she enjoyed this game so much, watching powerful dragon so helpless, unable to attack her.

"I wonder why do you still talk with me." Tremor said. He had seriously considered, if he should say this sentence. "If you hated me from the bottom of your heart, you'd just kill me right away and yet, you didn't. Something stops you, spirit." The earth dragon was standing on very, very thin ice and he perfectly realized that. The white dragoness laughed aloud. All the years of awaiting were worth this moment, worth the conversation with the dragon whose throat she would slit in the end.

"You dost hurry to the grave, dost thou not?" The white dragoness asked.

"Oh, I've been to there once or twice, I not really hurry. But you could pay a visit to there, you'll love it so much that you'll remain there forever." Tremor riposted grinning. The spirit watched the guardian carefully. Could anyone be possibly this reckless to practically encourage her to kill him? And yet, he knew that she wouldn't do it, at least not yet. What a fascinatingly insolent, cocky person he was.

"I hope thou dost realize that I hath at least four ways to kill thee in this very moment?" The spirit asked wondering, if he wasn't simply unaware of the menace of death hanging upon him.

"Yes, I do." Tremor confirmed with voice as careless as if they were talking about weather. Candice watched him shocked, not believing that he could be this reckless. She felt tempting need to scold her mate for such childish behavior and considered what was stopping her.

"Right, the spirit controlling Ivory will suffocate me to death, if I even say a word." The ice guardian recalled. "Adorable." She summed up.

"So, what stops you?" Against all common sense, the earth dragon labored the point.

"Nothing that I couldn't pass by." The spirit assured. "I hath waited so long for this moment… I want to take from it as much pleasure as I only can. You can't even imagine how many attempts to take Ivory over and slaughter thee I hath made. And here we art. I can't let this moment pass just like that. Nay. I want to enjoy it as long as I can." She explained.

"So I'm just a toy to you, am I not?" Tremor noticed bitterly.

"Yes." The spirit confirmed grinning ominously. "And I can't wait to the moment when it bores me so I could crush it. But I shall do it slowly, very slowly." She promised.

"Soon, there will appear wyverns. It's just matter of time." The earth dragon noticed.

"Do you imply that I should be concerned about them?" The spirit giggled silently. "Those pathetic, weak beings?! And what could they possibly do to me? They should fall to their knees and bow before me. Weaklings! Just like Ivory. They're just weaklings. You all are weaklings, bound by those rules of yours, unable to fill your desires, explaining your helplessness with this factitious morality!" The spirit snorted scornfully. "Pathetic." Tremor just grinned slightly.

"You've been just a spectator of this world this far, haven't you?" He asked smiling. "No surprise that you say such things. You don't understand how this world works at all. The great strength isn't the measure of greatness." In Tremor's voice, there could be heard pity, as if he was explaining hatchling that she had just been tricked. "If you understood it, you'd know that those so-called weaklings have nasty tendency to break the wings of proud ones and bring them to the ground." He warned.

Both Ivory and the spirit were aware of this conversations, even if Ivory hadn't control on her body. She watched carefully the spirit, she was trembling in anger.

"He vexes you, doesn't he?" Ivory noticed with amusement.

"Just look at him! So insolent! He practically laughs in my face!" The ghost was mad, even though at first this confidence was interesting to her. Ivory thanked in mind that those were only her feelings that spirit's power depended on.

"Because he knows that you won't kill him yet. And I even know why." The white dragoness explained.

"Dost thou? And what is the real reason in thine opinion?" The spirit watched her curiously.

"You want to deal with me first. It's very hard for you to both control my body and fight me in here. It would be risky to be escaping from Celeste and fighting me simultaneously." Ivory guessed.

"That is correct." The spirit confirmed. Before she even finished the sentence, she had already focused great amount of magical potential. Ivory created a conical barrier before herself scattering the blow with relatively low use of energy. The spirit broke through it with her bare paw glowing with an azure glow. She wanted to get Ivory, but the white dragoness dematerialized into blue aura. The spirit flew through it quickly not damaging it at all. Ivory appeared again right behind her enemy, shooting the blow of magic in its back. The spirit dematerialized not bothering herself with try of dash; her aura seemed different, it didn't look like gas, as Ivory's, but seemed to be liquid. The spirit grinned, as she stood still and jerked her head at the white dragoness.

"Dematerializing is the skill that thou understandst already." It noticed. "Let us step on the higher level, shall we?" The spirit suggested and then, it faded a little. Ivory felt a presence next to her, she jumped aside avoiding the slash of talons, but before her face, there appeared the spirit once more. Both it and Ivory shot powerful blow of magic from their mouths, the white dragoness used this moment to increase the distance. "Had she just teleported?" Flew through Ivory's mind. And then, she realized that there were three spirits, not just one. They all seemed to be almost transparent. And then, two of those dematerialized, their aura flew to the last one; the spirit looked solid again.

"Separation." Ivory said. "Three of them is your limit, isn't it? You need pretty much concentration to control three bodies in this same moment." The white dragoness guessed. Her enemy grinned slightly.

"Indeed, thou speakst truth." She confirmed grinning. And then, Ivory's eyes grew wide as she realized that right behind her, there was standing a fourth spirit, practically transparent. The white dragoness turned into azure aura, but a little too late. The spirit slashed through her leg; if she had got such a wound in reality, she would be in serious troubles, but here, she only lost some of her energy. Not much, but Ivory had to be more careful, if she wanted to win.

"Liar!" The white dragoness hissed hatefully.

"The deception is the part of this game." The spirit noticed. "Thou cannot expect me to reveal my weaknesses, if thou simply beseechst for them." It made a step forward. "You have to learn them for your own." Then, free streams of blue aura flown high above her and headed to Ivory. The white dragoness analyzed this all quickly. She couldn't use it for herself; controlling just one body was very hard for her, not speaking of two or three. And this technique had weakness very dangerous for its user, at least she believed so. Ivory decided to give it a try. Three spirits attacked her at once Ivory dashed avoiding all three of them. The main body, where the most of energy was accumulated, remained far from Ivory. It was wise choice; controlling three bodies would be much easier and if something went very wrong, she still would have big part of her original energy. While realizing that Ivory created between herself and three attackers a barrier. Two passed it by its left side, one by right. And then, those two at the right stood and created a shield protecting themselves from beam of azure light of Ivory's magic from her jaws. They were just a little part of spirit's power, so she could keep them busy for a moment with just this. The third body attacked. Ivory interrupted releasing the magic to focus on this target. The enemy slashed with paws, but Ivory blocked them with hers. And then, from her right arm, there started appearing an azure aura. Before the spirit managed to react, one of its bodies was already surrounded by sphere of pure energy. It couldn't escape, the aura would absorb it just by touching it. Two bodies were about to get Ivory when her sphere rapidly dwindled to disappear completely, absorbing that body. She felt a rapid growth of energy flowing through the veins. Just a fraction of spirit's power and yet… What an amount of it! The spirit must have felt that. Two bodies rapidly pulled back and fused with the main body. It looked really surprised, like a bully who had been slapped painfully by little, inconspicuous girl. Ivory grinned insolently.

"I may not be able to use this skill of yours, but I can come up with a trick or two." She noticed. The spirit smiled… pitifully. Ivory felt disturbed with that, as in her mind, there appeared this scary thought that she still didn't know about something very important.

"Thou art not kind of person that would just surrender, dost thou?" The spirit asked with disappointment.

"Giving up on my soul? No, thank you." Ivory refused. "So, who exactly did you mean when talking with Tremor? One person thanks to who you could become more powerful." The white dragoness asked.

"I need the second dragon carrying my spirit within himself." The spirit grinned with amusement, wondering what would be Ivory's reaction. "Thine son. I abandoned all the other bodies that were related to Lian only to focus in your two. And right now, I've focused whole myself in here." She clarified.

"No…" The white dragoness whispered, her eyes grew wide. How could she have missed it? She was aware of this spirit living in her then how could she be this foolish not to think of Flush inheriting the spirit only because she never sensed anything…

"I hath been hiding within him, only watching, until now." The spirit explained. "Trust me, I am not lying to thee. I can tell thee that right now he's in hospital, in the bed with high fever, talking with Arriate." She grinned ominously.

"What do you want from him?" Ivory asked, careful not to let anger consume her; she knew it was exactly what the spirit sought for. Still, she could already feel her blood boiling.

"I shall erase his and thine souls and posses both of you. What I shall need art two dragons more with real magical potential, a male and female who my two bodies, yours and Flush's, will seduce. With those four, I shall create bloodline." The spirit explained.

"What?" The white dragoness felt creeps across her body. She already understood and yet, she needed to ask.

"Offspring, Ivory, many of them, whole generations with magic flowing in their veins. Each wielding me for that one day I could posses them all. I will hath an unimaginable number of real bodies!" The spirit chuckled. "Nothing shall stop me. I will no more be forced to live as such a weakling, so repulsively helpless."

"And how would you use them?" Ivory asked.

"No one ever shall tell me what to do. I shall be free, completely free, as a bird whose cage had just opened." The spirit explained. "And if someone will ever hurt me…" An ominous grin danced across its face. "The wings of death shall spread above him; appear from nowhere and bring him into the darkness." Ivory could already imagine herself that; random murders across whole dragon lands, not connected at all. In every situation the murder was someone else. All the bodies belonging to the spirit would co-operate as perfectly, as one soul should. No one would ever think that it was something bigger. And even if they caught or killed several of its bodies, it would change nothing, the murders would go on. Terrifying. "So now, all I need you to do is to stand still, so I could annihilate thine and thine son's soul, could thou dost this favor to me after all that I've done for thee?"

"A favor?" Ivory asked with her voice shaking; you couldn't say if in anger or fear. "Hand over soul of my son to you?" In her voice there sounded disbelief. "You really believed I would do that?" She watched the spirit with determination. "In what world do you live?" She snorted scornfully. "I'm sick of your voice echoing through my mind for so many years. I kept living so bounded by you, fearing if you wouldn't take the control and kill someone so precious to me. No more." Ivory was walking slowly to the spirit. It tried to feed on her anger and all negative emotions. But then, it realized that Ivory had no emotions that she could feed on. No fury, not even anger, only great determination and… mother's love. And it was the dragoness that would gain even greater power on those feeling. The spirit rushed forward to Ivory, she separated into four bodies. To suppress her with numerical superiority. The plan was good, but Ivory wasn't bad either. One body attacked, Ivory threw it away with strike of magical barrier, absorbing some of it. She dematerialized passing by another one, already about to slash her. She appeared before the third one containing only a little of spirits real potential. Her right paw glowed with azure aura as she slashed through it absorbing it completely. Ivory was just about to get the very last one. She noticed an opening in its guard and stung aiming for its chest. Ivory's paw went through the body. To her surprise, she felt resistance of flesh, felt warmth of body and blood dripping from her paw. She watched the one she had attacked. And then, her eyes grew wide. It was Flush, her son! Standing still with his chest pierced. He raised his eyes fearfully and watched the white dragoness.

"Mom?" He asked with shaking voice, looking deeply into her eyes. Ivory stood still, aghast. What have happened? What was he doing there? Why did he… And then, Ivory felt powerful blow of magic hitting her side. She was thrown away. Another blow was coming, but Ivory created around herself the shield of magic, which saved her life. One blow this powerful and it would be her end, as Ivory realized. She landed and watched her son. She still had blood on her paws. And then, the fire breather, standing with hole in his chest, cackled.

"Just as I hath expected from thee!" He shouted with Ivory's son's voice. Ivory didn't even notice when blood on her paws turned into azure aura which flown to the fire breather. In that moment, Flush dematerialized and fused with all spirit's bodies. It took form of Lian. "Hath thou already forgotten, my vessel? I am able to take form of every dragon in whom I have ever been and creating blood was not a problem at all." It explained. So it all was fake. Ivory knew that she wouldn't fall on it again, but she also realized that spirit wouldn't try it again. It gained what it wanted; absorbed quite much of Ivory. Now it was her turn to strike. If she failed, she'd be in terrible troubles. Ivory released a beam of azure aura. The spirit blocked it with shield and meanwhile, Ivory dematerialized in order to appear right before the spirit even faster. She stood right before it and slashed. The spirit couldn't avoid, so it turned into several beings, so that Ivory absorbed only the one that was standing before her. Not much, but still, it was something. The other beings flew above Ivory and all of them released beams of azure light at once. The white dragoness created the shield above her head and then, one of bodies appeared right behind her. She blocked its first blow with little amount of energy shot blindly behind with right paw. Then she turned around and with powerful shot of magic forced it to pull back. That was when remaining three bodies appeared around her and attacked from all sides with streams of azure energy. The white dragoness created around herself the shield of magic. She hissed angrily; it wasn't easy to withstand such a power. After a moment, Ivory felt that her defense was falling, she had to do something quickly. Then she released a powerful shockwave around herself. The bodies hadn't made any defense, so all of them collapsed. Ivory jumped to one of them and slashed it with paw, absorbing another doze of spirit. She quickly jumped away from others expecting quick counterattack. It came just as fast as expect; Ivory barely managed to avoid several sudden shots of magic. The spirit united into one body and flew to Ivory. The dragoness blocked its blow of paw, they stood still just several meters from each other.

"Dost thou not want to surrender to the one so much more powerful?" The spirit asked."I would be able to use full potential of this body."

"That's exactly what I fear." Ivory riposted. She jumped back taking a deep breath in meanwhile. In the moment her paws touched the floor, she released powerful shockwave. The spirit protected itself with small shield. It wanted to run to Ivory, but then she shoot another blow of magic forcing it to dematerialize. Then it appeared right before the white dragoness and slashed aiming for her chest. Ivory blocked the blow, both fighters released big amount of magic in this same moment throwing each other away. Neither of them collapsed, but turned into azure aura and rushed to each other. They were about ten meters from each other when Ivory's arm appeared in the mist. The spirit's body materialized, but then, dragoness's paw turned back into the mist. Ivory, as a cloud of azure aura, flew around the surprised spirit and materialized right behind it touching its back with paw. And then, around it, there appeared sphere of magic. Spirit's eyes grew wide, it shot an intensive stream of red magic, but it missed Ivory. It was too late; there was no gap. Nowhere to escape. She was completely closed off by deadly magic. Ivory grinned ominously.

"This is the end." She whispered. The sphere started getting smaller and smaller, the spirit inside it touched the azure aura feeling that she was being slowly absorbed. The dragoness was doing it slowly; doing it all at once could cause such an increase of energy in her body that there could be some negative side effects.

"Let me go!" The spirit screamed demandingly. "Let me go!"

"No." Ivory refused confidently. "Just perish." The sphere was already far too small for the spirit. It started screaming in pain of agony. Ivory closed her eyes. She wished she couldn't hear this shriek of pain. It was so high, so unnaturally metallic… No throat could release such a voice as the spirit did. She needed to remain focused not to release the magic, even though it was very hard.

"Naaaaaaaaaayyyyyy!" The sphere of aura was already very small and the scream was getting unbearably loud, causing terrible headache. And then, suddenly everything fell silent. Ivory sensed no magic other than hers. She let the azure aura disappear. The white dragoness could feel whole this potential within her. She smiled slightly.

"I did it." The white dragoness whispered with disbelief. "Certo, Crona, thank you."

Farady's paw slowly fell on the ground. She had been holding it up for last several minutes, as something alike measurement of the strength still left to her. It looked like it was slowly reaching its limit. The dragoness noticed it with kind of pity; she had remained conscious for so long that she was sure she'd keep up for a little longer. At least longer than Oscuro. But no, there he was, sitting, leaning against his sword. The poison was slowly consuming their bodies. Farady watched him carefully. He wasn't afraid of death, not even at slightest. But she was. He stood still, awaiting for inevitable patiently and she was shaking in the fear. He seemed to be thinking about something intensively, maybe already happy for that he could see his brothers and mother. Farady thought of her parents too, but she didn't want to meet them. She loved them, but… not yet. She knew that her parents sacrificed their lives in order to protect her and Zheek and she was already dying because of this same wyvern. The only relief in this situation was that he wouldn't make it alive either. It wasn't much, but still, something. Farady realized that the wyvern had been watching her carefully for last several minutes.

"Stop staring at me." She hissed angrily. Oscuro just smiled slightly, as if noticing an irony far beyond that young dragoness.

"Idiotic, isn't it?" He asked, possibly rhetorically.

"What?" Farady said coldly, trying to stop shaking.

"This all. So much bloodshed. And for what? Has it made the world any better?" The wyvern wondered. "I've killed your parents… In sake of what?"

"You murdered them." Farady hissed hatefully.

"For some dogma of my father's. Pointless, unreasonable violence." The prince continued. He still remembered the orders to get rid of all dragons living on terrains of wyvern kingdom. "And this is where it leads us. To fight each other madly even though we don't know each other at all."

"You've killed my parents. Would you expect me to just forget about this?" The dragoness asked with disbelief.

"No, not at all. It's me who started that. My arrogance and blindly following father's orders. Only coward would attack innocent ones when they're surrounded and outnumbered. That was so dishonorable of me."

"Don't you even dare explaining yourself to me." Farady spoke with such a confidence as if she could really do anything to Oscuro. Or at least stand up.

"I won't. This stain remains and it brought us here. To death, it appears." Oscuro laughed silently. "Indeed, this all is just idiotic."

"Stop mincing around and say what you mean, will you?" The lightning dragoness suggested with impatience. She wasn't much time left.

"It was me who started this fight even though you were the one with very right to do so. I was lead by my wounded pride since Tremor interrupted me the last time. I wanted to slaughter you for my own, personal satisfaction. And now, I've finally realized how pathetic behavior is was." The prince confessed. Farady just snorted.

"Clap, clap, clap, that's the timing." She admitted ironically. "But you could have noticed it before we've poisoned each other, you know?" Oscuro smiled slightly hearing it. That was what he could expect.

"Don't worry, I'll be the only one to pay for both this mistake and your parents' death." The prince assured. From the belt of his scabbard he took some bottle. He put it on the ground and rolled to the lightning dragoness. It stopped right before her laying paw."Here you are."

"What is it?" Farady asked very carefully estimating what could that gold liquid be.

"This is an antidote to my sword's poison." Oscuro explained. "Drink it." He suggested. Dragoness's eyes grew wide, as she heard that.

"Why?" She asked grasping the small bottle.

"I've already killed unreasonably two dragons. I won't repeat this mistake." He explained. He knew that he could explain it to himself that he had done it to protect his tribe, but it was only him because of whose Farady had been killing the wyverns from the beginning.

"You… I don't have antidote for my poison." Farady said, completely confused, sure that he expected her to give it to him.

"I didn't expect it." Oscuro smiled weakly."You'd better hurry up when there's still time."

"And why should I trust you? What if your sword's toxin isn't deadly and you want to poison me right now?" The ice dragoness asked, very skeptical about Oscuro's kindness. The prince just sighed deeply.

"It's only your choice. But I promise, my sword's poison is deadly." The wyvern assured. Farady watched him carefully for several seconds. Then she closed her eyes, opened the bottle and, having no idea why, drunk it. It was disgusting, but she swallowed it. At first, she felt nothing. But after a moment, the warmth started spreading through her body and vision blurred a little. The dragoness stood up slowly. She was dazed a little, it felt like her sight was somehow… delayed. But it definitely was an antipoison. She felt much better.

"Much better." She said to herself. The dragoness watched Oscuro carefully. "Why?" She asked coldly, still not trusting it. She didn't understand at all.

"I've already told you. I won't repeat this same mistake." The wyvern explained.

"Is that all?" Farady couldn't believe that.

"Yes, that's all." The prince nodded.

"But… But you could have fought better than this. Within two weeks I couldn't improve much and yet, the difference between us suddenly went down. I… I don't understand this." She watched him with disbelief, but he just smiled. She had this strange feeling that he wasn't giving his best in this fight, as if… hesitating?

"Live on, Farady. Live on." He said silently.

"I…" Farady stuttered. She didn't know how to behave. She hated him. He was the murderer of her parents. And yet… "Thank you. Could I do something for you?" She asked, unsure even why.

"Yes." Oscuro forced himself to gather enough strength to take his sword from the ground. He put it before himself and took down its belt. "This sword… If only you can, give it to my mate, Luna." He pleased. Farady stared at it. It was the blade that had slain her parents.

"I will." She agreed. The dragoness wore the scabbard with sword on her back. It was very heavy, she was surprised that wyvern could be using something this big to fight. The dragoness turned with her back to the prince and walked away. She didn't want to watch him. She felt so… stupid. He was her deadly enemy, right? Then why had he spared her life? Why was she wearing his blade? And first of all, she didn't want him to see her tears.

"Farady! Are you there?" Male voice called from above. The lightning dragoness raised her head. It was Tremor, next to him were standing both ice dragonesses. "Are you alright?!" He asked.

"I'm alive." Farady confirmed silently so they barely heard her.

"And Oscuro?" Candice watched her carefully.

"I've… He's not a problem anymore." The lightning dragoness said. Sadly, to her own surprise.

"Hang on in there, I'm coming after you." The earth guardian jumped into the hole in the ceiling and dove. Before he landed, the free dragoness jerked her head at Oscuro and watched him carefully.

"There's some doze of… honor in you, wyvern." She admitted. Then, next to her appeared Tremor. He watched young dragoness carefully. His eyes stopped on the sword on her back for a second. Then he wiped a tear from her cheek.

"I'll explain later. Let's go." Farady suggested. She jumped on guardian's back and they flew to the ceiling where Candice and Ivory were waiting. Oscuro watched the lightning dragoness carefully. With the last effort, he smiled slightly. All that he wished for in that moment was that he had cured this youngster from this disease called vengeance. And then, he closed his eyes slowly, not fearing death, but with his conscience clear. That's how died Oscuro Principe de la Celeste Tribu.

"So, is it done?" Candice asked Farady. The young dragoness nodded quickly.

"He's gone." She confirmed. Then, she turned at Ivory. "And what about your magic?"

"There are no problems about it." The white dragoness said with satisfaction. "So, what is our plan now?" She wondered.

"We'll be heading to the exit slowly." Candice explained.

"So we're leaving everything to the others?" Farady asked with surprise.

"Cynder's group must be already pulling back as well, maybe even Sable too." Tremor noticed. "We've caused some mess, wasted much time in here and there's nothing more to do. Not mentioning that wyverns will appear around any second."

"So, we're heading to the exit." Candice summed up. "Ivory, do you have much magic left?" She asked.

"No, not really. Why do you ask?" The white dragoness was already quite exhausted not only with victorious fight against the spirit, but also the magic it had spent. She looked around and noticed some small, green lizard watching her carefully. Then, it ran behind the corner quickly.

"Just in the case. I hope we won't have to make use of your magic anymore." Farady explained. The team headed through the empty corridor. So it was the last part of their plan; the escape.


	63. Chapter 62

Epilogue. „Letters"

Dear Mom!

It's me, Ivory. I'm really sorry for that I haven't sent you any letters for last several weeks, but it isn't really my fault. Firstly, there was so many happening around that I couldn't simply gather all my thoughts and write it down. Secondly, in our situation there was no possibility to send a letter anywhere, even if I so badly wanted to send it to you. Anyway, I apologize.

Our stay in Celeste Tribu was a terrible mess, to be honest. What astonished me in that place was it originality. You could say that only sferal/s free dragons (we all have learnt that so called "feral" dragons aren't really feral) live in caves, but you should have seen Celeste Tribu; the underground city. It's probably the most ironic city's name I've ever heard of, meaning "celestial tribe". Firstly, not "celestial" as being underground and secondly not "tribe" since it's greater than not one dragon city. We've all felt pretty lost in there, especially Tris who appeared to be claustrophobic. Poor Tris… She really had terrible bad luck in last months, a material to write not just a letter, but a novel or two. Anyway, from the very beginning we all have been played around by the king himself and not only. The king Verdad… what a disturbing type. Clever and predicting, even if he couldn't be the one moving all the pawns in this game. Leal, his daughter-in-law, had a lot to do with this all as well. But anyway, Verdad lost. Sorry for this all sounding so mysterious, but I don't want to reveal you too much in here, I can't wait to visit you and spend whole hours telling you all the details I could remember.

What I can say for sure is that our lives were endangered not once or twice since all the wyverns of Celeste Tribu (with little exceptions) sought our death. And so, not all of us have been able to return. You remember Crag, don't you? That joking, funny earth dragon, the medic from my team, also a painter. He's gone. I still can hardly believe it, but he is. In those weeks I have learnt so much of him. We had little quarrels and arguments, but I really liked him. He was someone that really understood me. He had endured through this same as me, or even worse. And that's why he died. Because he understood me and my misery. He sacrificed his own life for me and even despite being medic, didn't doubt if he should shed the blood of the ones attacking us. When I'm writing this letter I'm still in Celeste Tribu from which we all are soon heading south, to Warfang. But before we go there, we'll be at the Crag's funeral. It is not something that we could miss. We all owe it to him. And then, I'm going to Teria. We, I mean me and Flush, must visit you, it's been too long since our last meeting. I want to see my mate's grave too and Zheek and Farady's parents' ones (I think I haven't mentioned them yet, I'll explain when I'm in Teria). I'll bring also a little surprise, as I hope.

This mission has changed me a lot. I've learnt so much about the magic; starting from new ways of using it, through realizing what is my real potential to learning the reason of possessing such a gift and the price I had to pay for it. Fortunately, I've managed to deal with all the difficulties. At this point I'm very proud of myself.

I'm glad that I had come here, it was the great experience to me, I've seen and learnt so many new things… There were funny moments, romantic ones such as Vixen's confession, dramatic and hopeless ones as when Crag died and I simply couldn't stop the tears. I've helped fighting pandemic, but also saw how ungrateful people can be, learnt a little of policy and much more about medicine, heard Vixen singing and had an opportunity (whether I liked it or not) to have a conversation with a ghost from before hundreds years using such an old fashioned language. I know that I've done more good than bad and gave all the best I only could. I wasn't able to save everyone and circumstances even forced me to shed much blood, but… We can't have everything, right? And I've done all that I only could, not like when guardians fought Venganza, when I lost Flush. That's an improvement.

Mom, don't worry about me, I am safe and sound and not even wounded seriously and the medical care in here is really good. Right, I've completely forgotten to say that I was wounded two weeks ago by some wyvern. But don't worry about me anyway, I'm fine. I hope you are doing well just like me, maybe only not with such intensive experiences as mine. I just can't wait to hug you, mommy, I'm sure that Flush misses you just as well.

With love

Ivory

"What are you reading there, Ivory?" Dante asked the white dragoness curiously. He and Ivory were sitting in a small room an two sides of Tris's bed.

"Reading my letter, making sure that everything is alright." Ivory explained.

"Have you mentioned me in there?" The fire breather wondered. Both other dragons looked at her. The young dragoness had whole neck, chest and torso covered in bandages hiding her burns, laying on her comfortable bed. Next to her, there was her egg. It was rather small, a red one. Tris had laid it just a week earlier, but both young parents were giving it so much love and in result, warmth, that Ivory was already absolutely sure that it would be a male. The fact that both Tris and her child were alive they owned to a great doze of luck.

"Only mentioned." Ivory shook her head. "The most unfortunate participant of this mission will be presented to my mom by myself personally." The white dragoness smiled slightly.

"The most unfortunate? Why?" Tris asked with surprise. Dante sighed deeply.

"Should I enumerate it all?" He asked rhetorically, but his mate nodded. The young poet just sighed deeply. "Firstly, you've almost drowned in the lake and were the one to be practically freezing at Dante's Freezer." He argued.

"As you said, it's a freezer. Yours. And you didn't turn a temperature up even a little." Tris noticed with reproach. Ivory laughed silently hearing that.

"And that's even before we've made it to Celeste Tribu." The white dragoness continued. "Once we came there you happened to catch that disease we were fighting and almost died because we've noticed no symptoms because of your red scales. You've said goodbye to your kidney anyway, so you have only one now."

"It's nothing…" Tris tried to interrupt, but only ended up on trying.

"And that was relatively safe moment." Dante said. "The real lethal danger started when wyverns attacked us and that room collapsed. You were the only one to be hit with the stone. And when we left you've almost…"

"Yes, yes, I understand the allusion." Tris agreed reluctantly. "So, I guess it's the last journey of mine for some time, isn't it?" She guessed watching her mate carefully.

"Yes, for about… one hundred years?" Dante confirmed. The fire breather watched her beloved skeptically.

"Do you really believe that you'll keep me in home for this long?" Tris grinned rascally."You can try, sweetheart, but…" She nuzzled his cheek with hers. "You'd better not." She warned.

"Whatever you wish my lady." Dante kissed his beloved quickly. "Ivory, do you think all those burns could be healed?" The earth dragon asked.

"I know some fabulous expert in healing burns and frostbites. Pretty useful when half of our race's youngsters breathe fire or ice, isn't it?" Ivory noticed. "Anyway, he lives in Dragon Shores, but he had been considering coming to Warfang for quite long already. I'll send a letter to him and he will take care of you." Ivory offered.

"Thank you." Tris said silently. "Will there remain any scars?"

"I'm afraid so. Those won't be too widespread, but significant." The white dragoness confirmed. And then, to her surprise, Tris smiled triumphantly.

"That's what I counted for." She explained and both dragons glared at her completely dumbstruck. The dragoness could swear that she felt even the sight of her little child. "What? Is it that weird?" Tris asked and both dragons nodded. At least the egg remained still. "What would be the point of surviving such an explosion if I couldn't keep them? After years, I'll be telling our child something like: Those wounds your mom got when attacking Celeste Tribu with just eleven other dragons and…" She was interrupted by sudden, amused laugh.

"What a forward-looking attitude of yours." Dante admitted. Tris obviously was just a youngster, not caring or understanding all the consequences. But that was exactly what he loved her for.

Luna was walking across some corridors of Celeste Tribu very slowly. At her left arm, there was a black armband; it was the wyvern tradition for the ones mourning. Her step was dignified, the pace very slow. For the two weeks from her mate's demise she hadn't talked with any of dragons. She had seen them all at Oscuro's funeral, which was very meaningful gesture since they didn't come on Verdad's one. The matter of those two burials was very strange. Her mate's farewell was much more ceremonial than former Señor's de la Tribu. It was Leal's bow towards Oscuro showing that she would support the policy the prince would choose; alliance and close cooperation with dragons for goodness of both nations. The princess had said very many laudatory words about Oscuro back then. But still, as the skeptical ones keep emphasizing, if Leal respected the prince so much, why would she have had a nerve to take the throne for herself? Araceli, Luna and Oscuro's five years old daughter, oppositely to Leal, had royal blood flowing through her veins, so the ruling ones should be Luna and Araceli. But it was hard to argue with someone having the support of army. Still, Leal perfectly realized that she had to be careful; Sombras, the special wyvern forces were loyal to the royal bloodline; even though they had promised to follow her, she couldn't be so sure about them. Luna stopped suddenly as she realized that there was someone behind her. She turned around quickly and saw a lightning dragoness.

"Farady." She whispered astonished.

"Yes, it's me, Luna." The free dragoness confirmed ignoring wyverness's title. She wasn't a type bowing before any "nobles". At her back, she had Oscuro's blade hidden in its scabbard. "I've been looking for you." She explained herself.

"And why would you?" The wyverness asked hatefully. Her eyes stopped at her mate's blade hidden in its scabbard. Farady took it from her back and handed to Luna.

"It belongs to you." The dragoness said. Luna took it and put on her back, locking all the belts of it quickly.

"You have a nerve to do it by yourself." The wyverness warned with a gentle hint of threat.

"Watch your tone." Farady suggested. "I promised Oscuro, that is why I'm doing it."

"Don't you even dare mentioning his name, you murderer!" Luna shouted angrily.

"Me? You call me a murderer?" The dragoness asked with disbelief. "Oscuro…"

"I've told you not to say his name!" The wyverness drawn her sword. It's point was just centimeters from Farady's chest. Her arm was trembling angrily. The dragoness just sighed deeply. She clenched her fist slowly.

"Lower it." Farady, despite being a ten-year-younger one with enemy sword almost touching her heart, spoke with confidence of having the situation under control. "You'd better not…"

"Silence!" Luna shouted and meant to attack. But Farady was much faster. She swung her paw pouring the sand into wyverness's eyes and with quick move of paw knocked the sword out of Luna's paw. It fell on the ground several meters farther.

"I've killed many wyverns. I won't argue on that issue." Farady started. "But I've done it for a reason. I sought your mate's death, I wanted my parents to be avenged. And Oscuro… Years ago he stood before the choice to kill a dragon family or let them escape. The only motivation to do so was his father's orders and insolence of my parents, not accepting the fact that we could be forced to abandon our home. There would be no consequences, if he chose to let us free. But he murdered my parents and tried to kill me and Zheek as well. Just like that, no reason at all. And am I the bad one?" She asked rhetorically. The dragoness turned around.

"Walking away just like that?" Luna asked with disbelief.

"When we attacked Celeste Tribu…" Farady sighed, as she continued with her back turned on the wyverness. "I didn't plan to fight him. I was scared of him, I knew that I stood no chance. And since I'm still alive, it's probably the best proof that he wasn't so bad person. He could have not given me an antidote. But he did, even though he knew he couldn't expect this same from me." She admitted. "And if you want to send some Sombras after me, feel free to do so, but you'd better not forget about the consequences." The lightning dragoness added. After those words she left. In her head, there appeared a disturbing question. Did she really win a fair fight against Oscuro or maybe... or maybe it was Oscuro who deeply in his heart felt bad about killing her so he didn't massacre her like the first time?

Tremor watched carefully the documents that had been torn into the pieces. There had been pretty much of those, at least one hundred pages. He was studying some of them carefully, but others just put on the side finding them completely unworthy of attention. Candice watched him carefully.

"What do you have there?" She asked curiously.

"That was the document signing the alliance between dragons and wyverns created in effect of Viola and Dante's negotiations with wyvern nobility.

"Dear ancestors, why is there so much of it?" The ice guardian asked with disbelief. Tremor just shrugged.

"As if I knew. But don't worry, half of this you can just ignore, nothing worth attention." He assured.

"Wyverns of Celeste love writing long documents." Stella, who had just entered the room, noticed. "No one really knows why, but they need every document to be very official. A little too official sometimes which makes those much longer." She explained.

"Sometimes?" Tremor asked her doubtfully. "If I were to rewrite it, it would took me twice less paper and it still would be absolutely official. Stella just smiled.

"Yeah, that's quite possible." She agreed. Then, Candice noticed that she had some little book in dragoness's paw.

"What do you have there?" The ice guardian wondered.

"Oh, this?" Stella watched a little book she was holding. "That's a book about political situation between dragons and wyverns of recent past. I have rewritten it for myself so I've been given it personally. Polite gesture." She admitted. Then, she took some documents from between her wings, at least ten sheets of paper. "Not counting those documents confirming reception, of course." Tremor just laughed aloud and Candice shook her head slowly in disbelief.

"Oh dear… You could get lost in all those papers." The ice dragoness noticed. "I can't wait to see all the documents once we start the negotiations about alliance or something like that." Stella just nodded confirming her worries.

"The wyverns of Celeste Tribu have once almost conquered whole north by such documents about a millennium ago. You know, little ambiguity, several snags… That's how Grande Guiverno Allianza del Norte Tierra, the organization of all northern tribes was created and Celeste Tribu, even if it's not the leader of it, is the most influential member." Stella explained. "So we'd better be careful." She summed up. Then, the door to their room opened and there appeared Cynder.

"So, are you all satisfied?" She asked curiously. "About this all, I mean." She added quickly.

"Well, I don't complain." Tremor smiled.

"After all everything went according to the plan." Candice confirmed. "Firstly, Verdad's dead and secondly, we're all alive."

"And we even managed not to cause another war." Stella said and all of them laughed silently. "I think Warfang already knows about this all, our letter should have already reached them." She sighed. "I wonder how Flame has reacted."

"We'll see once we return." Tremor noticed with a silly grin written all over his face. "So, do we already have everything?"

"Yes, we do." Candice nodded. "We can be going by now."

Sable was sitting at some stone shelf, one of hundreds of the Core. He spent time in there in complete silence, thinking about the happenings of previous weeks. And then, he felt warm tail touching his side, familiar presence appearing so close to him. The lightning dragon smiled slightly.

"Viola." He whispered, pleased with her presence.

"I'm right here honey." The azure dragoness sat next to him and cuddled him lovingly. "I can't wait to see the kids. I wonder how are they doing." She noticed.

"And how Arriate looks." Sable added. Their just five years old daughter was half blind and her body was covered with wounds that would leave scars to the end of her life.

"She's alive." Viola whispered. She thanked Stella in mind for sparing them the details of how their daughter looked like right after wyverns' attack. "That's what matters." The lightning dragon just nodded slightly. He knew that such a trauma wouldn't disappear just like that; Vixen would happen to wake up screaming to the age of fourteen after she had seen her parents' death.

"I know." Sable agreed silently. The two of them were sitting hugging each other.

"Sable?" The azure dragoness called her mate.

"What is it?" Sable turned his head and glared deeply into her sky-blue eyes.

"I keep wondering about that choice of yours. When you killed Verdad, we left the Throne Hall and stood before Leal… You could have regained the throne back then, haven't you? The wyverns would follow you."

"I know they would, but I couldn't do it." Sable agreed.

"Why?" Viola wondered watching her mate curiously.

"I've never really wanted to become the king even though everyone kept telling me that it was my duty. But I didn't want it, especially not now." The dragon explained.

"But you didn't have to become the king, only use the followers of yours to protect us and let us leave Celeste Tribu. Or at least give the throne to Araceli." Viola refused.

"It doesn't work this way." Sable disagreed. "If I asked them to follow me, there would be no turning back, the wyverns would never let me go. I'd be their ruler, not Araceli. I would have to stay here." He said. "It would be the matter of kingdom's honor. Of course, I could escape far, far away from them, but it would bring great shame to the place where I was born and Leal would most likely gain the throne or a civil war would start. That's why I couldn't do that."

"And that's the reason why you had to give up on this option in favor of Leal's." Viola summed up.

"Yes, it is." Sable confirmed, though very reluctantly. "She will be good Señorita de la Tribu, even if I hate to admit that."

"Even though the righteous one would be Oscuro's daughter." The azure dragoness noticed. She hated Leal. "It was very unfair of her."

"But no one has enough force to argue with her." Sable said gloomily.

"Monarchy is such a terrible regime." Viola stated. "And whole this nobility… The king needs the support of army to remain at his position. The tyrant with power can overthrow the good king and he rules the kingdom. Isn't that barbarian?"

"And how is dragon cities' system of elders and guardians any better?" Sable asked curiously. His mate watched him with disbelief, unsure if he had really asked about that.

"What do you mean?" Viola didn't know how to reply.

"Exactly what I said."Sable smiled slightly. "In theory, there can always happen some group of dragons with great support of their own army which will kill the elders and become the new rulers of the city, right? The difference is that we don't have one king, but four elders."

"But four elders are better than just one king. If the king acts irrationally, no one can admonish him. If one of elders does, there still are three others. And the system of elders is much more fair. Everyone can become an elder or the guardian. Not just theoretically, this system really works. It's true that the new elders often come from other elders' families, but not always. Ray's father and Lady Itara weren't from elder families and Ray became an elder not because of his connections, but he appeared better than any other candidate. And even Tremor wasn't from some elder family and he became the guardian of earth, right? Our system allows every dragon worth it become the elder or guardian. He only needs to work hard."

"But what about the risk of take over?" Sable asked curiously.

"We have no nobility and that's the solution. Every citizen is equal in the society, there is no such better and worse division which functions in the northern tribes of wyverns. Here you have something like party-system; some nobles gather the support of others becoming the real force which can even rival with king. No such a thing happens in dragon cities where elders represent not just one nobility group or other. They care about whole society, because they trust society and the society trusts them." Viola argued and as she was finishing her last sentence, she saw Sable smiling. It wasn't that he doubted in dragons' system. He just wanted to test Viola and it looked like she passed that test. The lightning dragon patted his mate's head.

"Good girl." He whispered. Viola giggled silently.

"And you're a bad boy." She riposted. "To provoke me like that just to see my reaction…" She wanted to say something, but then Sable kissed her lovingly. She didn't oppose, but let the pleasure overwhelm her. Words were just words and this simple act was more than even the most beautiful poems could express.

Ten years old wyvern ran into his big sister's apartment with a small training sword in his paws and great grin all over his face.

"Leal! Leal! Where are you?!" He shouted as searching her, but heard no reply. "Sister, stop hiding!" He pleased, disappointed with no reaction of hers.

"I'm here." The queen-to-be spoke silently, focused on something. Her little brother ran to the office of hers when he finally found her.

"Leal, see this!" He stood by her smiling. "Let me show you what I've learnt to…"

"Seferino… I'm busy." Leal spoke gently, returning the smile. She loved her little brother, but she had no time at the moment.

"But today I learnt …"

"Seferino, later." The wyverness spoke with polite voice, but you couldn't argue with it. Seferino sighed deeply. He was a real quick-learner and he kept showing his sister new tricks whenever she had time for him, but sometimes, she was simply unavailable.

"You're into those legends again?" Seferino jumped at the desk and watched her old tome carefully for several seconds. "Why do you keep reading about dragons from before the Great War? Shouldn't you be reading about wyverns, learn our history?"He wondered.

"I already know it. Now, I'm looking for something different."

"What?" Now it was Seferino to demand answer.

"Promise me you will tell no one."

"I promise I will tell no one." The youngster assured and since he was really trustworthy, she didn't doubt in him.

"Right after you hatched, I found an old tome presenting a story of some particular dragon, long time ago. That dragon held a key to power that no one else could imagine. No one could face it and win. Even though that dragon is unreachable to me, that key still remains in this world, it's meant to be eternal. I spent ten years searching for clues how to find that key, even took some actions that sadly, appeared to be failure in the end. The longer I read those legends, the closer I am to reaching that key and once I have it, the world won't be this same place as it used to be." She explained, smiling. Seferino watched her carefully, fascinated with this passion of hers, with a dream that she wanted to fulfill. She was one of those that wanted to change the reality in her own favor, but possibly the only one who could manage to actually achieve that.

Vixen was all alone, hiding under some tree from intensive rain. Her deep green eyes focused on drips of water falling into small puddle, getting bigger and bigger with every minute. She felt somehow… wrong. As if she had done something terrible. The black dragoness had snuck out from Celeste Tribu without telling anyone even a word. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to leave them all behind. Again. But it was the only right way. How could she stay with them? It all was her fa...

"There you are." She heard a male voice behind her. Vixen didn't move at all. And then, next to her, there sat Zheek. The fire breather hugged his beloved gently. "Why are you so sad?" He asked, concerned.

"Because I doubt." Vixen explained herself. She smiled weakly as her boyfriend nuzzled her cheek.

"What is it?" He wondered, but heard no answer. He watched her face carefully. She was still staring into some puddle of water. "Hey, Vixey, look into my eyes." The black dragoness smiled slightly and she turned her head at the fire breather.

"I like it." Vixen whispered.

"What?" Zheek watched her dumbstruck. His girlfriend giggled silently.

"This nickname. Vixey. It's so adorable." She explained and kissed Zheek. "What bothers me…" She sighed deeply. "I've failed again. Once more I could have stopped this all. I was the only person who could prevent it, but I didn't. I was so weak. Tris's wounds, Crag's death, all those wyverns… It's only my fault." She explained. Two dragons lasted in silence for next several minutes, listening to the rain. "Is it not?" Vixen interrupted it with desperate voice. Zheek sighed deeply.

"Not only, not even mainly, but it is, Vixey. You didn't do that, but neither stopped it." The fire breather confirmed. The worst thing he could do to her in that moment was lying. "But we all commit mistakes, smaller or bigger. It is our right to commit them and obligation of our friends to forgive us." He said.

"But… but I've done this again. Someone died because of my weakness again, I had so much time, but I learnt nothing!" Vixen cried silently. "Why should anyone forgive me?" Zheek hugged her a little stronger.

"Because this is what means to be a friend." The fire breather explained. "We're with you for good and for bad. Not just me or Sable, but everyone. Though it's hard sometimes, we'll be always with you." He encouraged her. Vixen just snorted with disbelief.

"You say so? Even if I keep failing you?" She asked skeptically.

"Even if." The fire breather confirmed. And then, there fell silence. Zheek didn't say anything more, he waited for his beloved. The black dragoness sighed deeply after several minutes.

"You know, I've come here only because I wanted to leave this all behind. You, Sable, Viola, all my friends. I don't want to be a burden to all of you. I…" Vixen cried bitterly. "I don't want to cause any more tears, any more bloodshed. If I left, it would be so much easier to you all and..."

"Don't even think like that." Zheek interrupted her. "We all are burdens for others to carry. But that's… But this is beautiful, this is the sense of life. We all carry each other, helping in time of need. That's why we all need each other. That's why we won't leave you and you can't leave us. Because the less burden we carry, the weaker we are." The fire breather glared deeply into his eyes. Vixen lowered her sight and put her head on lover's chest. She let his protective arms surround him in protectiveness.

"Be always with me." The black dragoness whispered imploringly.

"I will." Zheek promised. The world outside was great and dangerous, but he would never ever let anything bad happen to her. No more.

The dragons left Celeste Tribu that day despite the rain. It had already started weakening and they had spent far too much time in the wyvern city already. It was the high time to return. At first, they headed to the east, where Crag's body was buried. They all dug it out; the magical shield was still covering it so time made no harm to it. The earth dragon looked almost as if he was sleeping, only not counting all the wounds covering his body. Soon, they reached the shores of Great Lake. From there they headed to Crag's home village. It was just a few minutes away when Ivory suddenly turned pale, if that was even possible, and would collapse if Cynder didn't catch her.

"Are you alright?" The black dragoness watched her, concerned. Ivory nodded quickly. Her limbs were shaking.

"I'm… fine." She assured and stood up again. She could feel powerful magical presence somewhere near her. She had never felt such a thing. It was so much stronger that Ivory couldn't even measure it. She barely managed to release her own aura to free herself from foreign influence and stop her legs shaking in overwhelming fear. "Who could that be? That has to be some great magician living in there. Dear ancestors, why hasn't Crag told me about…" And then, at the road before them, the dragons saw a little hatchling. It was a white dragoness not more than five years old. She had three long, green lines going across her body in a beautiful, wavy way, starting at her left paw and reaching her torso, two of them reaching the chest and the other one stopping at her back, all of them branching beautifully and spinning, as if someone had painted those. But what surprised them at the most was that she had only one, right wing. She watched carefully all the travelers. Unable to believe it, Ivory realized that she was the source of that magic.

"Kid, what are you doing here?" Ivory asked. But the hatchling ignored her completely, her eyes were locked on something else.

"Dad?" She asked, her voice was shaking gently. She ran between the group of dragons and stopped before Crag's body. She held his paw. "Daddy." She whispered. Ivory understood everything. So it was Crag's daughter, Idris. And also, she was the dragoness that Crona had spoken of. Her next realm. A one-winged dragoness; the star that can't reach the sky. Idris watched her father carefully. She already knew. The tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Beloved daddy!

It took me very long to start his letter. I was full of uncertainty and doubts how to even start. But once I sat down and started… I want to say that your little black dragoness has grown quite older by body, but much older by mind in those last years. I'm in love with a fire breather, Zheek. He's an adorable type, a little scatter-brained and maybe not really clever, but I know that he's the one. I feel it with whole myself.

The last weeks were…terrifying. I failed Sable and the others, but I finally decided to take the full responsibility for it. It's only Sable thanks to whom I'm still alive. And I finally told him my true name! Now he knows that I'm his sister! But still, I couldn't protect everyone. The dragon, who gave me a reason to return to Sable after Your death is gone now. His name was Crag, a medic, but... definitely a warrior type: strong, brave, stubborn and really good-hearted.

Crag's funeral took place at the afternoon in his home village. The weather was beautiful: not even a single cloud could be seen, the azure sky above our heads. The sun shone intensively, but gentle breeze coming from the Great Lake brought a relieving chill; it was far too beautiful weather as for a funeral. After Oscuro's one, it has been already the second funeral that I have participated lastly. But it was completely different, opposite, I could even say. There was nothing astonishing or spectacular in it; no great, overfilled with the mourning ones procession, no sorrowful anthems echoing through the air, no crowds of thousands spectators. But even despite its ceremonialism I not really liked it. It felt so...dishonest, I think. The wyverns watching Oscuro's funeral came there mostly out of curiosity or duty as nobility. Of course there were some truly wanting to mourn, but it felt like just a drip of water in the whole sea. And Crag was bided farewell by "only" two hundred dragons from his home village. They all really mourned. Everyone in there knew him or his family. All the tears were absolutely honest, especially Idris's. That is Crag's little daughter. She's an orphan now. Mostly because of me. But she forgave me just like that. I wanted to say something, but that little dragoness only smiled and gave me such a sight, as if she could read my thoughts or at least perfectly understood me. We met each other in half of the ceremony. After that Lisanna's (Crag's deceased mate) father decided to speak. His speech was short, terse, but it really touched my heart. That was the moment when I asked if I could say something as well. I stood before all the dragons, introduced myself (I didn't fear to tell them your name as my father's at all) and explained my relationship with Crag. And then I sung an improvised anthem. I hadn't planned anything, but only followed the voice of my heart, as if some celestial being descended on me and brought me inspiration When I finished everyone's sight focused on me in silence. It was… admiration. I blushed intensively and returned back to my brother. He didn't say anything, but just patted my head; more than any words could express.

I'm still wondering why Crag had influenced me so much. Even Sable couldn't stop me from leaving Warfang and he was the one that easily convinced me to return there. I guess it's because of fact that he was just like you, not only by appearance, but also character and past. When I met him, he was just like you; deeply in heart so noble, but wounded by past, full of hatred and will to avenge. But I shown him the way and so, he shown me a way for me. It was like blind leading blind. He proved me that loneliness isn't a solution and I taught him that he shouldn't slain the wolves in act of personal vengeance, but only because they were a real threat to innocent dragons. And so we gave each other a promise to meet in Warfang. We both did, even though it took me longer than I thought but it's so long story that I'll write it in my next letter.

I hope that you're watching me from above, sometimes proudly, sometimes really wanting to scold me for my blindness and stupidity. I miss you, daddy. I wish I had managed to turn you from the path you had chosen.

Your little Vixen

It was already long after the sunset when Vixen, sitting before a lamp with not really strong, red firelight was signing her letter. She yawned deeply, as she put her feather next to an inkwell. It took her quite long to finish it, but she was really satisfied watching it. The black dragoness studied it once more very focused, so she didn't even notice the dragon behind her.

„Are you writing to your father?" Zheek asked surprised. Vixen turned around to see her boyfriend taking a butcher's above her shoulders.

„Has anyone told you how impolite it is to read someone else's letters?" She asked indignant.

„I have no experience with letters at all, so no, no one has." Zheek explained smiling disarmingly. Vixen couldn't help it, but giggled silently.

„You're impossible." She whispered.

„And you're still not in bed. It's already middle of night." Zheek nuzzled his beloved's cheek gently.

„Yes, yes, I'm already going." Vixen promised. She watched the view from the balcony which she was sitting at. Far away, there could be seen the Great Lake reflecting light of thousands stars hanging on the cloudless sky.

„Take your time." Zheek suggested as he sat by his girlfriend. They hugged each other lovingly.

„How about we just stay here?" The black dragoness asked hopefully and she yawned deeply showing two rows of her little dagger-like teeth. The fire breather covered her jaws with a paw.

„Has anyone told you impolite it is to yawn like this?" He asked. Vixen gave him a skeptical sight.

„Has anyone told you that you're impossible?" She wondered.

„You, just five minutes ago." Zheek nuzzled his girlfriend before she said anything more. The black dragoness giggled. She laid her head on his chest feeling his heart beating and chest rising and falling. That was all that she needed in that very moment.

„Goodnight, sweetheart." She whispered.

„Goodnight." Zheek closed his eyes, his wings spread protectively around the little dragoness.

This same evening Ivory spent in Idris's house. The white dragoness was sitting before hatchling's grandparents with little Idris sleeping on some pillow before her grandfather. She really wanted to be present at that conversation, but it was already very late so she quickly fell asleep. Nala and Ignifier, Lisanna's parents, were watching the medic carefully.

"You really look familiar to our daughter." Ignifier said interrupting the silence. Ivory had asked them to talk about something, but she hadn't revealed the issue yet.

"I'm her mother relative. Not a close one, but still, a relative." The medic explained herself. "I wanted to talk about Idris."

"Is something wrong with her?" Ignifier asked with worries.

"No, there's not. At least I hope so. Could you tell me more about her? I mean her past, unusual behavior or situations, illnesses, if she had any problems with her element." Ivory pleased.

"She has no element." Ignifier noticed. Ivory watched him with disbelief.

"How is that possible?"She asked. Two dragons just shrugged.

"We hoped you'd explain us. She has absolutely no talent to any element." Nala, the ice dragoness said.

"Crona." Ivory whispered to herself. So Idris's element and wing were a price for her skills; wing and element. "And what about her magic?" Her eyes stopped on the hatchling. Even when she was sleeping Ivory could feel her overwhelming aura.

"She was born with very soft, not developed lungs. For first two years we kept healing her with elixirs hoping for them to develop enough." Ignifier said, as he caressed his granddaughter.

"Why didn't you use magic?" Ivory asked.

"She has extraneous magic sensitivity syndrome." The fire breather said. The white dragoness how it worked; a person with such a syndrome couldn't be healed by any magic, but her own. She recalled that Vixen temporarily had it after being wounded by Lanzador. "And I know the alchemy very well." Ignifier added.

"I don't doubt that." Ivory assured watching the shelves filed with tomes about alchemy.

"Anyway, when Idris was about two and half, her lungs stopped bleeding, Chris, our medic said that she had some magical potential which slowly started healing her. Since then, she's very healthy."

"Has she ever met a typical sensor that would estimate her potential?" Ivory watched two old dragons carefully, but they shook their heads.

"No, we've planned sending her to a dragon city in the next year." Nala explained. "Could you tell us how big it is?" She pleased.

"I was unprepared for facing a person with such a potential so it felt overwhelming to me at first, but now that I'm used to it and protect myself from her involuntary aura, I still have to admit that her magic is terrifyingly great. I'll have to teach her muffling it or it may be dangerous to the environment." Ivory decided.

"Will you teach her?" Ignifier asked hopefully.

"Yes, I will or at least I plan so. And here I'm coming to my main point." Ivory took a deep breath. "I want to take Idris to Warfang and rise her there." She explained and watched surprise and disbelief on two old dragons' faces.

"B…but why? I can't just…" Nala stuttered.

"I understand." Ivory smiled gently. She wasn't surprised with that reaction. "There are two reasons. Firstly, she has a great amount of magic within herself and..." Ivory's eyes locked on Idris who had rapidly spent some of her magic, even though Ivory didn't notice any difference around her . "And I don't even know how she uses it. And secondly, the most importantly to me, I've promised it to Crag." Ivory explained.

"You've promised, you say." Ignifier repeated slowly watching the white dragoness skeptically. He never really liked Crag. The medic just nodded slightly.

"Do you have any children or at least mate?" Nala asked. She wouldn't trust her granddaughter just anyone.

"I had had a mate, but he was killed by Venganza six years ago. But I have a son." Ivory explained.

"With this same male?" The old dragoness asked suspiciously.

"Of course!" The medic almost shouted, offended with such a suggestion. Idris moved nervously a little disturbed by Ivory's sudden outburst, but she didn't wake up. "Flush, my son, is equal to Idris."

"How would her life in there look like?"Ignifier asked.

"As if she lived with her aunt in Warfang. She'll have her own room, attend to the academy, learn some magic with me, visit their grandparents in their little home village, nothing extraordinary." Ivory explained. "Can I know your opinion then?" Both grandparents looked at each other and started arguing silently. Ivory waited patiently for them to argue. It couldn't be an easy choice, if someone asked her for such a thing, it would take her long time to decide.

"You will explain everything to Idris and we'll have decided by then. Is that fine?" Ignifier suggested. Ivory nodded slightly.

"I know it must be a hard choice for you, but know that Idris is a volcano of magical energy now. Sooner or later somebody will have to temper her or a tragedy may happen." Ivory warned them.

It was a hot midday, even as for the middle of summer, when Ivory and Idris sat in the shadow of some tree to hide from the heat. That was one of those days when both of them loved their purely white scales. Some villagers were watching the two of them curiously. They looked almost like a mother and daughter.

"So, my name is Ivory." The white dragoness introduced herself.

"I'm Idris." The hatchling said. There could be felt a sudden decrease of hers magic after which, like always, it started increasing slowly. "You are my father's friend, aren't you?" She asked. Ivory nodded slightly.

"And your mother's relative." She added, a little surprised. She was sure that she hadn't told Idris about that. The hatchling's grandparents must have talked with her. "I want to take you to Warfang." Ivory explained.

"To teach me using my magic?" Idris guessed hopefully. She perfectly realized that her talent was magic. Her grandparents must have told her that or she subconsciously realized that. Ivory would love to know which version was true.

"That's one of reasons. I've promised your father that I would take care of you." Ivory explained tersely.

"So I'll live with you, Mrs. Ivory, right?" The hatchling said. Now she sounded as if she was the explaining one, not Ivory. Dear ancestors, had Ignifier told her everything or maybe she hadn't been sleeping at all back then? No, Ignifier couldn't have told her that, she had just woken up…

"Yes, but only if you agree to go with me to Warfang and your grandparents say yes as well. And you can call me aunt, I and your mother are relatives." The medic suggested.

"Will I have my own room, aunt?" Idris asked curiously.

"Yes, you will." Ivory nodded quickly. "I have one free room. Well, at this moment there's a terrible mess so you'll have to live with Flush in this same room for a week or two." She assured.

"Flush? Who is that?" Idris jerked her little head curiously.

"That's my son. He's equal to you, I'm sure you'll like each other." The medic smiled slightly.

"Is there an academy in Warfang?" The hatchling obviously had lots of questions.

"There is, a quite big one, as for me. In next year there will even be started a medical academy for teenagers wanting to specialize in medicine. There will be quite many dragons, but..." Ivory interrupted in half of sentence as she felt another sudden decrease of hatchling's magic.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Idris smiled slightly. Now Ivory was sure that she was doing something with magic absolutely unwillingly. "What magic will you teach me?" She asked, really curious about that.

"At first, I'll teach you how to muffle your magic."

"Muffle?" Idris sighed with disappointment.

"It's necessary, but don't worry, I'll teach you even before we reach Warfang. Right now you just emit a big amount of your magic not controlling it at all. You can be easily sensed by every amateur sensor such as me. I muffle my potential, don't let it escape my body. Do you see my eyes?" Ivory asked and the hatchling glared into her azure eyes, gently glowing. "This happens if I don't muffle it." Suddenly, medics eyes started shining intensively. The youngster felt Ivory's healing magic, very warm and friendly, surrounding her. And then, it all disappeared at once.

"If you can't muffle your magic, it's impossible to focus it. The most of magicians learn it by themselves, you'd most likely discover it sooner or later, but I'll teach you this to save time." Ivory explained. The hatchling nodded quickly with understanding.

"So, if you want to go with me, you'll live in Warfang, I can't say how frequently you'll be meeting your grandparents. It won't be something very particular expect for that at first you may feel quite shocked with the greatness of that city. I can't teach you my tricks with magic; I can only show you the path, you'll have to walk it for yourself. It will be challenging, but the results may be beyond your imagination. I won't make any pressure on you; you'll come with me only if you want so. What do you think?" Ivory watched her carefully. She gave the hatchling the free choice, which was very risky; Idris's magic had to be controlled sooner or later. Otherwise, there could happen terrible things with such a talented wizard being completely uncontrolled. Or manipulated by someone improper. Idris watched her relative carefully. Her magic suddenly decreased, as she was thinking intensively.

"Don't worry, aunt." She smiled slightly. "It's very important to you. You've promised it to my daddy. I'll go with you." The hatchling decided. Ivory sighed stealthily with relief.

"So, let's go to your grandparents and talk with them." The medic suggested, as she stood up. The hatchling nodded enthusiastically and ran forward.

"Come on, aunt!" She called Ivory who smiled watching that cheerful child. But in the bottom of her heart, she was scared a little. She had to discover how Idris was spending her magic the fastest she could. But she had practically no clue how to even start.

Dear brother!

I am so sorry for writing to you this late, Sable, but I really couldn't really help it. There was so much happening, so many things still left to do... When I'm writing this very sentence, since our company's leaving Warfang there passed already two months. Teria looks really beautiful, I've never before been to there. Our departing happened so suddenly and quickly, just three days after returning to Warfang. But that's how life works, you never know what may happen tomorrow, right?

Anyway, as promised, I want to explain you how our team has been gathered, as you've completely missed this moment, as I recall. It all started with Ivory. She decided to take Flush and Idris to Teria. There were several reasons: to visit her mother, see her mate's grave and learn something more about their magic in Teria's library. Ivory explained me everything about Crona, her and Idris's magic. She doesn't mean to tell it just everyone, but she knew how important Crag was to me and how much I like Idris. Anyway, the ones who Ivory was interested about were Crona and Certo. When I heard that, I recalled that Certo was Cynder's ancestor so I went to her and mentioned her about it. She and Spyro (with Zealous, of course) decided to go with them and so, I joined them as well. With me there went Zheek, of course, and Farady. And so, we all headed to Teria. There are very many tomes about genealogy, did you know that? I spent quite long studying our ancestors and helping Ivory and Cynder. Dates with Zheek filled the rest of my free time.

Farady has a crush on some earth dragon, his name was Devlin. He's an adorable type and he had just broken up with his girlfriend when he fell on Farady. If only you see them you know that this must be love. I've never before have seen her more happy than when she prepares for a date with him. She thinks she'll stay in Teria with him. That's really good choice for her, after all it's the only dragon city she knows at least a little and that's where her parents are buried. Ivory keeps training magic hard with Flush and Idris and they even attend to the Academy in there. Cynder and Spyro keep analyzing the tomes of genealogy, Cynder is already close of finding Certo and her ancestors. What about me, you could ask? I and Zheek help here and there. Being with him all the time, I feel as if I had butterflies in my stomach! It's just so... unbelievable! I feel so free! And besides, there's something you need to know: s I am /s s I'm/s I am pregnant! You have no idea how joyous I am right now! After so many years of being just a tool of destruction, I will finally be able to give life. I've never even thought that it could be possible. After all I used to be a wyverness and as a female, the changes in my body were much more advanced than yours and my hormones are pretty messed up. But Ivory assures that there's nothing to worry about. Even if my body may be very little, she'll do everything for that I could give a birth. I only worry if I'll be a good mother. I still can't see myself in this role, you know, I'm so childish. But everyone around promised to help me and I know you and Viola'll support me as well, so I fear only a little. Oh, I'm so excited! I feel like never before, there are no words that could express it!

So now, we plan our return to be soon. Well, at least I do. You know, a dragoness in advanced pregnancy shouldn't be travelling too much. Speaking of which, apologize Tris for that I can't come for her child's hatching; if not for that I was in here, I wouldn't miss it for sure. I really wish I could be there, but you can't have everything, can you?

Sable, I know that it may sound idiotic, but for the first time since we, as wyverns, escaped Celeste Tribu I feel... safe. No need to worry about surviving the next day, no threats to me, my family and friends, no secrets that I'd have to hide. I believe that's what we call happiness, isn't it, brother?

Vixen

P.S. Zheek wishes you, Viola, Arriate and Ñeque all the best.

Sable and Viola were sitting in their dining room with their children playing around outside when they read their letter from Vixen. The azure dragoness smiled slightly as she finished it faster and watched her mate's changing expression. He looked shocked.

"Vixen is pregnant?" He said silently. Viola poked his shoulder.

"Aren't you happy?" She asked with disbelief.

"I am, but..." Sable interrupted in half of the sentence. It didn't look like he'd finish it.

"But?" Viola asked curiously.

"Don't you think she's too young for pregnancy?" The lightning dragon argued. After several seconds of silence, she sighed deeply. The older brother-younger sister syndrome worked pretty well.

"Sable, she's already twenty." Viola said slowly.

"She's just..." Sable tried to argue.

"Already." The ice dragoness emphasized. "It's natural for a dragoness her age to be pregnant. Just look at Tris." She noticed.

"It's not this same!" The medic argued stubbornly.

"I know that she's your little sister and you want to look after her for all the time, but remember that pregnancy isn't a burden to her. In fact, it's one of those few moments in her life this far when she felt really happy. A child is a great gift. You should know this best." Viola said. Sable glared deeply into her eyes. "Am I wrong?" The lightning dragoness asked doubtfully.

"No, you're not." The lightning dragon agreed. He kissed his beloved. "My little sister has already grown up, hasn't she?" He said silently. Viola giggled and nuzzled her mate.

"Welcome to the reality." She whispered. "How about we go out somewhere?" She suggested with pleasing voice. Sable smiled slightly.

"With pleasure, sweetheart." He agreed. And then, they heard knocking at the door. The dragon sighed deeply and walked to the entrance. There, he saw the very last person he'd expect to meet.

"Leal." He said with disbelief watching the wyverness. On her back she was wearing both halves of Lanzador. The female smiled flirtatiously.

"Greetings, Sable." She said silently. The lightning dragon wanted to say something, but his mate was faster.

"What is she doing in here?" Viola hissed hatefully. She made a fighting stance immediately, giving her hateful sight. She wouldn't accept such a hostile person in her own house.

"Oh, calm down, Viola." Leal pleased. "I don't want to talk with you, but Sable."

"You didn't answer my question." The azure dragoness noticed angrily.

"As the official sovereign of Celeste Tribu I'm here to negotiate the terms of alliance between dragons and wyverns." The wyverness explained.

"This early?" Viola asked doubtfully. She knew that Leal wasn't really liked by wyvern nobility; she risked everything she had by such a choice.

"I fear not about my position in Celeste. My father, Count Logain, makes sure everything will be under our control. And speaking of dragons, we should forget about this incident that has happened and think about goodness of both our races, shouldn't we?" Leal noticed. "Could we take a walk, Sable?" She pleased. Sable sighed deeply.

"I'll be right back." He promised, agreeing only in order to separate those two females as fast as possible. The dragon and wyverness headed some road in silence. The queen kept looking around, watching the great buildings of Warfang.

"It's been a while since our last careless walk like that, hasn't it?" The wyverness noticed smiling blissfully.

"Whole sixteen years." Sable agreed. "Everything changed since then." Leal nodded. "Between us too." The dragon added and his companion sighed deeply. They walked in silence for a moment. "So, you've already talked with the guardians, haven't you?" He guessed.

"I have. It is the main priority of mine to ally with dragons." Leal confirmed.

"How are negotiations going?" Sable asked curiously.

"Harder than I'd expect, but it isn't bad. I gave guardians Oscuro's sword as the symbol of my good will. They accepted it." The wyverness said. Sable watched her carefully. The queen couldn't give a royal blade just to anyone and the meaning of such a gesture couldn't be ignored; it could determine Leal's policy for even decades. And in this same moment, she deprived Oscuro's daughter of sword that could be a key element for her to achieve the throne. Sable had to admit that it was a very clever choice.

"So the alliance shall be signed soon." He guessed. Leal nodded slightly.

"The treaty negotiated by your team survived whole this mess, somewhere deep amongst Verdad's documents. Dragon guardians want only to study it and improve a little because of the last incident." The queen confirmed. "No wonder that you decided to stay in Warfang." She changed a subject of their conversation. "It's a beautiful city."

"It is." Sable sighed deeply. "You wanted to talk about some much more serious issue, didn't you? You wouldn't come to me just to praise about your success." He noticed. Leal nodded quickly. "It's a funny thing, because I wanted as well. Could I be first?" He pleased. The wyverness shrugged.

"If you wish so." She agreed.

"Have you ever heard Vixen singing?" The lightning dragon asked. Leal watched him with surprise.

"No. I thought we'd be talking about a serious issue." She noticed.

"You should sometimes. Her songs have particular tendency to it the point when you expect it at the least." Sable continued, ignoring her comment. "Who holds the riches, the jester or the king?" He sung silently. "Was it you or Verdad responsible for whole this happening in Celeste?" The lightning dragon wondered. Leal's heart skipped a beat as she watched her companion carefully. He couldn't know. He simply couldn't know the truth. But she knew he did.

"I'm..." She stuttered a little. "I'm afraid I don't know what you imply."

"And I'm afraid you do know." Sable emphasized "do" watching her angrily. "I thought through all that I've heard in previous months. From the very beginning Verdad was just a tool in your paws, wasn't he? There was a fire in a section of library which you had been visiting frequently for several months before this incident. The only recipe of a cure is lost. Because of the political situation you couldn't ask for it other kingdoms; you didn't want to show your weakness, because you could be crushed. So there was no other option than me. You promised Verdad that I'd die in the end. When we were attacked, Syrius came and helped me. I guess you convinced him, right?" Sable watched the wyverness carefully. She bobbed her head once. "You helped me, but tried to kill all my friends by sending Clavius after them. If not Farady and Zheek, you'd succeed. And then, you decided about assassination of my children. Cobro claimed it was his idea, but let's be honest, you had him wrapped around your finger too. Because of that, you gave me no choice, but to kill Verdad. And that's what you counted on, wasn't it?" The two of them slowed down a little. Leal watched Sable carefully, unsure what to say.

"Why do you believe so?" She asked skeptically.

"Because I know you." The lightning dragon explained. "If I managed to kill Verdad and you killed my companions, especially Viola, and even assassinated my children, you could not only become the queen. You could take me, crushed after such a loss, for once more missing a point in my life, as the king. You'd trick Verdad into killing everyone important to me and make me avenge them for that you could officially rule Celeste." Sable smiled bitterly. "A risky plan, but the results would be just amazing, wouldn't they?" He noticed watching her hatefully. Leal lowered her head, they walked in silence for a minute or two. She didn't even try to refuse. And then, she burst out.

"Sable, didn't you ever wish to return your home?! This is not your place!" A tear appeared in her eye. "You were born as a wyvern, as a prince, as the rightful heir to the throne! Not as some meaningless, common medic. Sable, you have such a potential! You and me could unite and rule all the wyverns! We could even conquer the world, dragons, wyverns, wolves, all the nations! There would be no strength that could stop us. Sable, return with me to your home." She said desperately.

"I appreciate." Sable said silently. His orange irises focused on the wyverness. "Your love, stubbornness and determination." His voice sounded ominous, threatening. "But I will never forgive you a try to destroy whole the happiness of my life in act of your own selfishness. Find yourself a mate, establish your position, conquer the wyverns. I don't care, I could even bid you good luck. But don't you dare to touch dragons. Not just me, my family or friends. If you ever lay a finger on a simple innocent dragon, I'll personally kill you." The two of them turned in another street and Leal realized that they were heading back to Sable's house. It was just fifty meters before them. "And speaking of returning to my home..." Sable smiled slightly, watching his family. Ñeque was standing on a branch of some tree holding his sister's paw and lifting her. She could just fly on it, but climbing was greater fun after all. She had little problems since her left arm still was broken, the chest covered in bandages hiding her left eye as well. The lightning dragoness was about to climb up, but Viola was already running to them to admonish kids for such recklessness in Arriate's state. Sable sighed blissfully. He left Leal behind, walked to his mate and kissed her cheek. The hatchlings hugged their parents cheerfully, knowing that then they had a chance to avoid being reprimanded. And Leal watched whole this scene astonished with Sable's words echoing through her mind.

"This is my home."


	64. Epilogue

Epilogue. „Letters"

Dear Mom!

It's me, Ivory. I'm really sorry for that I haven't sent you any letters for last several weeks, but it isn't really my fault. Firstly, there was so many happening around that I couldn't simply gather all my thoughts and write it down. Secondly, in our situation there was no possibility to send a letter anywhere, even if I so badly wanted to send it to you. Anyway, I apologize.

Our stay in Celeste Tribu was a terrible mess, to be honest. What astonished me in that place was it originality. You could say that only sferal/s free dragons (we all have learnt that so called "feral" dragons aren't really feral) live in caves, but you should have seen Celeste Tribu; the underground city. It's probably the most ironic city's name I've ever heard of, meaning "celestial tribe". Firstly, not "celestial" as being underground and secondly not "tribe" since it's greater than not one dragon city. We've all felt pretty lost in there, especially Tris who appeared to be claustrophobic. Poor Tris… She really had terrible bad luck in last months, a material to write not just a letter, but a novel or two. Anyway, from the very beginning we all have been played around by the king himself and not only. The king Verdad… what a disturbing type. Clever and predicting, even if he couldn't be the one moving all the pawns in this game. Leal, his daughter-in-law, had a lot to do with this all as well. But anyway, Verdad lost. Sorry for this all sounding so mysterious, but I don't want to reveal you too much in here, I can't wait to visit you and spend whole hours telling you all the details I could remember.

What I can say for sure is that our lives were endangered not once or twice since all the wyverns of Celeste Tribu (with little exceptions) sought our death. And so, not all of us have been able to return. You remember Crag, don't you? That joking, funny earth dragon, the medic from my team, also a painter. He's gone. I still can hardly believe it, but he is. In those weeks I have learnt so much of him. We had little quarrels and arguments, but I really liked him. He was someone that really understood me. He had endured through this same as me, or even worse. And that's why he died. Because he understood me and my misery. He sacrificed his own life for me and even despite being medic, didn't doubt if he should shed the blood of the ones attacking us. When I'm writing this letter I'm still in Celeste Tribu from which we all are soon heading south, to Warfang. But before we go there, we'll be at the Crag's funeral. It is not something that we could miss. We all owe it to him. And then, I'm going to Teria. We, I mean me and Flush, must visit you, it's been too long since our last meeting. I want to see my mate's grave too and Zheek and Farady's parents' ones (I think I haven't mentioned them yet, I'll explain when I'm in Teria). I'll bring also a little surprise, as I hope.

This mission has changed me a lot. I've learnt so much about the magic; starting from new ways of using it, through realizing what is my real potential to learning the reason of possessing such a gift and the price I had to pay for it. Fortunately, I've managed to deal with all the difficulties. At this point I'm very proud of myself.

I'm glad that I had come here, it was the great experience to me, I've seen and learnt so many new things… There were funny moments, romantic ones such as Vixen's confession, dramatic and hopeless ones as when Crag died and I simply couldn't stop the tears. I've helped fighting pandemic, but also saw how ungrateful people can be, learnt a little of policy and much more about medicine, heard Vixen singing and had an opportunity (whether I liked it or not) to have a conversation with a ghost from before hundreds years using such an old fashioned language. I know that I've done more good than bad and gave all the best I only could. I wasn't able to save everyone and circumstances even forced me to shed much blood, but… We can't have everything, right? And I've done all that I only could, not like when guardians fought Venganza, when I lost Flush. That's an improvement.

Mom, don't worry about me, I am safe and sound and not even wounded seriously and the medical care in here is really good. Right, I've completely forgotten to say that I was wounded two weeks ago by some wyvern. But don't worry about me anyway, I'm fine. I hope you are doing well just like me, maybe only not with such intensive experiences as mine. I just can't wait to hug you, mommy, I'm sure that Flush misses you just as well.

With love

Ivory

"What are you reading there, Ivory?" Dante asked the white dragoness curiously. He and Ivory were sitting in a small room an two sides of Tris's bed.

"Reading my letter, making sure that everything is alright." Ivory explained.

"Have you mentioned me in there?" The fire breather wondered. Both other dragons looked at her. The young dragoness had whole neck, chest and torso covered in bandages hiding her burns, laying on her comfortable bed. Next to her, there was her egg. It was rather small, a red one. Tris had laid it just a week earlier, but both young parents were giving it so much love and in result, warmth, that Ivory was already absolutely sure that it would be a male. The fact that both Tris and her child were alive they owned to a great doze of luck.

"Only mentioned." Ivory shook her head. "The most unfortunate participant of this mission will be presented to my mom by myself personally." The white dragoness smiled slightly.

"The most unfortunate? Why?" Tris asked with surprise. Dante sighed deeply.

"Should I enumerate it all?" He asked rhetorically, but his mate nodded. The young poet just sighed deeply. "Firstly, you've almost drowned in the lake and were the one to be practically freezing at Dante's Freezer." He argued.

"As you said, it's a freezer. Yours. And you didn't turn a temperature up even a little." Tris noticed with reproach. Ivory laughed silently hearing that.

"And that's even before we've made it to Celeste Tribu." The white dragoness continued. "Once we came there you happened to catch that disease we were fighting and almost died because we've noticed no symptoms because of your red scales. You've said goodbye to your kidney anyway, so you have only one now."

"It's nothing…" Tris tried to interrupt, but only ended up on trying.

"And that was relatively safe moment." Dante said. "The real lethal danger started when wyverns attacked us and that room collapsed. You were the only one to be hit with the stone. And when we left you've almost…"

"Yes, yes, I understand the allusion." Tris agreed reluctantly. "So, I guess it's the last journey of mine for some time, isn't it?" She guessed watching her mate carefully.

"Yes, for about… one hundred years?" Dante confirmed. The fire breather watched her beloved skeptically.

"Do you really believe that you'll keep me in home for this long?" Tris grinned rascally."You can try, sweetheart, but…" She nuzzled his cheek with hers. "You'd better not." She warned.

"Whatever you wish my lady." Dante kissed his beloved quickly. "Ivory, do you think all those burns could be healed?" The earth dragon asked.

"I know some fabulous expert in healing burns and frostbites. Pretty useful when half of our race's youngsters breathe fire or ice, isn't it?" Ivory noticed. "Anyway, he lives in Dragon Shores, but he had been considering coming to Warfang for quite long already. I'll send a letter to him and he will take care of you." Ivory offered.

"Thank you." Tris said silently. "Will there remain any scars?"

"I'm afraid so. Those won't be too widespread, but significant." The white dragoness confirmed. And then, to her surprise, Tris smiled triumphantly.

"That's what I counted for." She explained and both dragons glared at her completely dumbstruck. The dragoness could swear that she felt even the sight of her little child. "What? Is it that weird?" Tris asked and both dragons nodded. At least the egg remained still. "What would be the point of surviving such an explosion if I couldn't keep them? After years, I'll be telling our child something like: Those wounds your mom got when attacking Celeste Tribu with just eleven other dragons and…" She was interrupted by sudden, amused laugh.

"What a forward-looking attitude of yours." Dante admitted. Tris obviously was just a youngster, not caring or understanding all the consequences. But that was exactly what he loved her for.

Luna was walking across some corridors of Celeste Tribu very slowly. At her left arm, there was a black armband; it was the wyvern tradition for the ones mourning. Her step was dignified, the pace very slow. For the two weeks from her mate's demise she hadn't talked with any of dragons. She had seen them all at Oscuro's funeral, which was very meaningful gesture since they didn't come on Verdad's one. The matter of those two burials was very strange. Her mate's farewell was much more ceremonial than former Señor's de la Tribu. It was Leal's bow towards Oscuro showing that she would support the policy the prince would choose; alliance and close cooperation with dragons for goodness of both nations. The princess had said very many laudatory words about Oscuro back then. But still, as the skeptical ones keep emphasizing, if Leal respected the prince so much, why would she have had a nerve to take the throne for herself? Araceli, Luna and Oscuro's five years old daughter, oppositely to Leal, had royal blood flowing through her veins, so the ruling ones should be Luna and Araceli. But it was hard to argue with someone having the support of army. Still, Leal perfectly realized that she had to be careful; Sombras, the special wyvern forces were loyal to the royal bloodline; even though they had promised to follow her, she couldn't be so sure about them. Luna stopped suddenly as she realized that there was someone behind her. She turned around quickly and saw a lightning dragoness.

"Farady." She whispered astonished.

"Yes, it's me, Luna." The free dragoness confirmed ignoring wyverness's title. She wasn't a type bowing before any "nobles". At her back, she had Oscuro's blade hidden in its scabbard. "I've been looking for you." She explained herself.

"And why would you?" The wyverness asked hatefully. Her eyes stopped at her mate's blade hidden in its scabbard. Farady took it from her back and handed to Luna.

"It belongs to you." The dragoness said. Luna took it and put on her back, locking all the belts of it quickly.

"You have a nerve to do it by yourself." The wyverness warned with a gentle hint of threat.

"Watch your tone." Farady suggested. "I promised Oscuro, that is why I'm doing it."

"Don't you even dare mentioning his name, you murderer!" Luna shouted angrily.

"Me? You call me a murderer?" The dragoness asked with disbelief. "Oscuro…"

"I've told you not to say his name!" The wyverness drawn her sword. It's point was just centimeters from Farady's chest. Her arm was trembling angrily. The dragoness just sighed deeply. She clenched her fist slowly.

"Lower it." Farady, despite being a ten-year-younger one with enemy sword almost touching her heart, spoke with confidence of having the situation under control. "You'd better not…"

"Silence!" Luna shouted and meant to attack. But Farady was much faster. She swung her paw pouring the sand into wyverness's eyes and with quick move of paw knocked the sword out of Luna's paw. It fell on the ground several meters farther.

"I've killed many wyverns. I won't argue on that issue." Farady started. "But I've done it for a reason. I sought your mate's death, I wanted my parents to be avenged. And Oscuro… Years ago he stood before the choice to kill a dragon family or let them escape. The only motivation to do so was his father's orders and insolence of my parents, not accepting the fact that we could be forced to abandon our home. There would be no consequences, if he chose to let us free. But he murdered my parents and tried to kill me and Zheek as well. Just like that, no reason at all. And am I the bad one?" She asked rhetorically. The dragoness turned around.

"Walking away just like that?" Luna asked with disbelief.

"When we attacked Celeste Tribu…" Farady sighed, as she continued with her back turned on the wyverness. "I didn't plan to fight him. I was scared of him, I knew that I stood no chance. And since I'm still alive, it's probably the best proof that he wasn't so bad person. He could have not given me an antidote. But he did, even though he knew he couldn't expect this same from me." She admitted. "And if you want to send some Sombras after me, feel free to do so, but you'd better not forget about the consequences." The lightning dragoness added. After those words she left. In her head, there appeared a disturbing question. Did she really win a fair fight against Oscuro or maybe... or maybe it was Oscuro who deeply in his heart felt bad about killing her so he didn't massacre her like the first time?

Tremor watched carefully the documents that had been torn into the pieces. There had been pretty much of those, at least one hundred pages. He was studying some of them carefully, but others just put on the side finding them completely unworthy of attention. Candice watched him carefully.

"What do you have there?" She asked curiously.

"That was the document signing the alliance between dragons and wyverns created in effect of Viola and Dante's negotiations with wyvern nobility.

"Dear ancestors, why is there so much of it?" The ice guardian asked with disbelief. Tremor just shrugged.

"As if I knew. But don't worry, half of this you can just ignore, nothing worth attention." He assured.

"Wyverns of Celeste love writing long documents." Stella, who had just entered the room, noticed. "No one really knows why, but they need every document to be very official. A little too official sometimes which makes those much longer." She explained.

"Sometimes?" Tremor asked her doubtfully. "If I were to rewrite it, it would took me twice less paper and it still would be absolutely official. Stella just smiled.

"Yeah, that's quite possible." She agreed. Then, Candice noticed that she had some little book in dragoness's paw.

"What do you have there?" The ice guardian wondered.

"Oh, this?" Stella watched a little book she was holding. "That's a book about political situation between dragons and wyverns of recent past. I have rewritten it for myself so I've been given it personally. Polite gesture." She admitted. Then, she took some documents from between her wings, at least ten sheets of paper. "Not counting those documents confirming reception, of course." Tremor just laughed aloud and Candice shook her head slowly in disbelief.

"Oh dear… You could get lost in all those papers." The ice dragoness noticed. "I can't wait to see all the documents once we start the negotiations about alliance or something like that." Stella just nodded confirming her worries.

"The wyverns of Celeste Tribu have once almost conquered whole north by such documents about a millennium ago. You know, little ambiguity, several snags… That's how Grande Guiverno Allianza del Norte Tierra, the organization of all northern tribes was created and Celeste Tribu, even if it's not the leader of it, is the most influential member." Stella explained. "So we'd better be careful." She summed up. Then, the door to their room opened and there appeared Cynder.

"So, are you all satisfied?" She asked curiously. "About this all, I mean." She added quickly.

"Well, I don't complain." Tremor smiled.

"After all everything went according to the plan." Candice confirmed. "Firstly, Verdad's dead and secondly, we're all alive."

"And we even managed not to cause another war." Stella said and all of them laughed silently. "I think Warfang already knows about this all, our letter should have already reached them." She sighed. "I wonder how Flame has reacted."

"We'll see once we return." Tremor noticed with a silly grin written all over his face. "So, do we already have everything?"

"Yes, we do." Candice nodded. "We can be going by now."

Sable was sitting at some stone shelf, one of hundreds of the Core. He spent time in there in complete silence, thinking about the happenings of previous weeks. And then, he felt warm tail touching his side, familiar presence appearing so close to him. The lightning dragon smiled slightly.

"Viola." He whispered, pleased with her presence.

"I'm right here honey." The azure dragoness sat next to him and cuddled him lovingly. "I can't wait to see the kids. I wonder how are they doing." She noticed.

"And how Arriate looks." Sable added. Their just five years old daughter was half blind and her body was covered with wounds that would leave scars to the end of her life.

"She's alive." Viola whispered. She thanked Stella in mind for sparing them the details of how their daughter looked like right after wyverns' attack. "That's what matters." The lightning dragon just nodded slightly. He knew that such a trauma wouldn't disappear just like that; Vixen would happen to wake up screaming to the age of fourteen after she had seen her parents' death.

"I know." Sable agreed silently. The two of them were sitting hugging each other.

"Sable?" The azure dragoness called her mate.

"What is it?" Sable turned his head and glared deeply into her sky-blue eyes.

"I keep wondering about that choice of yours. When you killed Verdad, we left the Throne Hall and stood before Leal… You could have regained the throne back then, haven't you? The wyverns would follow you."

"I know they would, but I couldn't do it." Sable agreed.

"Why?" Viola wondered watching her mate curiously.

"I've never really wanted to become the king even though everyone kept telling me that it was my duty. But I didn't want it, especially not now." The dragon explained.

"But you didn't have to become the king, only use the followers of yours to protect us and let us leave Celeste Tribu. Or at least give the throne to Araceli." Viola refused.

"It doesn't work this way." Sable disagreed. "If I asked them to follow me, there would be no turning back, the wyverns would never let me go. I'd be their ruler, not Araceli. I would have to stay here." He said. "It would be the matter of kingdom's honor. Of course, I could escape far, far away from them, but it would bring great shame to the place where I was born and Leal would most likely gain the throne or a civil war would start. That's why I couldn't do that."

"And that's the reason why you had to give up on this option in favor of Leal's." Viola summed up.

"Yes, it is." Sable confirmed, though very reluctantly. "She will be good Señorita de la Tribu, even if I hate to admit that."

"Even though the righteous one would be Oscuro's daughter." The azure dragoness noticed. She hated Leal. "It was very unfair of her."

"But no one has enough force to argue with her." Sable said gloomily.

"Monarchy is such a terrible regime." Viola stated. "And whole this nobility… The king needs the support of army to remain at his position. The tyrant with power can overthrow the good king and he rules the kingdom. Isn't that barbarian?"

"And how is dragon cities' system of elders and guardians any better?" Sable asked curiously. His mate watched him with disbelief, unsure if he had really asked about that.

"What do you mean?" Viola didn't know how to reply.

"Exactly what I said."Sable smiled slightly. "In theory, there can always happen some group of dragons with great support of their own army which will kill the elders and become the new rulers of the city, right? The difference is that we don't have one king, but four elders."

"But four elders are better than just one king. If the king acts irrationally, no one can admonish him. If one of elders does, there still are three others. And the system of elders is much more fair. Everyone can become an elder or the guardian. Not just theoretically, this system really works. It's true that the new elders often come from other elders' families, but not always. Ray's father and Lady Itara weren't from elder families and Ray became an elder not because of his connections, but he appeared better than any other candidate. And even Tremor wasn't from some elder family and he became the guardian of earth, right? Our system allows every dragon worth it become the elder or guardian. He only needs to work hard."

"But what about the risk of take over?" Sable asked curiously.

"We have no nobility and that's the solution. Every citizen is equal in the society, there is no such better and worse division which functions in the northern tribes of wyverns. Here you have something like party-system; some nobles gather the support of others becoming the real force which can even rival with king. No such a thing happens in dragon cities where elders represent not just one nobility group or other. They care about whole society, because they trust society and the society trusts them." Viola argued and as she was finishing her last sentence, she saw Sable smiling. It wasn't that he doubted in dragons' system. He just wanted to test Viola and it looked like she passed that test. The lightning dragon patted his mate's head.

"Good girl." He whispered. Viola giggled silently.

"And you're a bad boy." She riposted. "To provoke me like that just to see my reaction…" She wanted to say something, but then Sable kissed her lovingly. She didn't oppose, but let the pleasure overwhelm her. Words were just words and this simple act was more than even the most beautiful poems could express.

Ten years old wyvern ran into his big sister's apartment with a small training sword in his paws and great grin all over his face.

"Leal! Leal! Where are you?!" He shouted as searching her, but heard no reply. "Sister, stop hiding!" He pleased, disappointed with no reaction of hers.

"I'm here." The queen-to-be spoke silently, focused on something. Her little brother ran to the office of hers when he finally found her.

"Leal, see this!" He stood by her smiling. "Let me show you what I've learnt to…"

"Seferino… I'm busy." Leal spoke gently, returning the smile. She loved her little brother, but she had no time at the moment.

"But today I learnt …"

"Seferino, later." The wyverness spoke with polite voice, but you couldn't argue with it. Seferino sighed deeply. He was a real quick-learner and he kept showing his sister new tricks whenever she had time for him, but sometimes, she was simply unavailable.

"You're into those legends again?" Seferino jumped at the desk and watched her old tome carefully for several seconds. "Why do you keep reading about dragons from before the Great War? Shouldn't you be reading about wyverns, learn our history?"He wondered.

"I already know it. Now, I'm looking for something different."

"What?" Now it was Seferino to demand answer.

"Promise me you will tell no one."

"I promise I will tell no one." The youngster assured and since he was really trustworthy, she didn't doubt in him.

"Right after you hatched, I found an old tome presenting a story of some particular dragon, long time ago. That dragon held a key to power that no one else could imagine. No one could face it and win. Even though that dragon is unreachable to me, that key still remains in this world, it's meant to be eternal. I spent ten years searching for clues how to find that key, even took some actions that sadly, appeared to be failure in the end. The longer I read those legends, the closer I am to reaching that key and once I have it, the world won't be this same place as it used to be." She explained, smiling. Seferino watched her carefully, fascinated with this passion of hers, with a dream that she wanted to fulfill. She was one of those that wanted to change the reality in her own favor, but possibly the only one who could manage to actually achieve that.

Vixen was all alone, hiding under some tree from intensive rain. Her deep green eyes focused on drips of water falling into small puddle, getting bigger and bigger with every minute. She felt somehow… wrong. As if she had done something terrible. The black dragoness had snuck out from Celeste Tribu without telling anyone even a word. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to leave them all behind. Again. But it was the only right way. How could she stay with them? It all was her fa...

"There you are." She heard a male voice behind her. Vixen didn't move at all. And then, next to her, there sat Zheek. The fire breather hugged his beloved gently. "Why are you so sad?" He asked, concerned.

"Because I doubt." Vixen explained herself. She smiled weakly as her boyfriend nuzzled her cheek.

"What is it?" He wondered, but heard no answer. He watched her face carefully. She was still staring into some puddle of water. "Hey, Vixey, look into my eyes." The black dragoness smiled slightly and she turned her head at the fire breather.

"I like it." Vixen whispered.

"What?" Zheek watched her dumbstruck. His girlfriend giggled silently.

"This nickname. Vixey. It's so adorable." She explained and kissed Zheek. "What bothers me…" She sighed deeply. "I've failed again. Once more I could have stopped this all. I was the only person who could prevent it, but I didn't. I was so weak. Tris's wounds, Crag's death, all those wyverns… It's only my fault." She explained. Two dragons lasted in silence for next several minutes, listening to the rain. "Is it not?" Vixen interrupted it with desperate voice. Zheek sighed deeply.

"Not only, not even mainly, but it is, Vixey. You didn't do that, but neither stopped it." The fire breather confirmed. The worst thing he could do to her in that moment was lying. "But we all commit mistakes, smaller or bigger. It is our right to commit them and obligation of our friends to forgive us." He said.

"But… but I've done this again. Someone died because of my weakness again, I had so much time, but I learnt nothing!" Vixen cried silently. "Why should anyone forgive me?" Zheek hugged her a little stronger.

"Because this is what means to be a friend." The fire breather explained. "We're with you for good and for bad. Not just me or Sable, but everyone. Though it's hard sometimes, we'll be always with you." He encouraged her. Vixen just snorted with disbelief.

"You say so? Even if I keep failing you?" She asked skeptically.

"Even if." The fire breather confirmed. And then, there fell silence. Zheek didn't say anything more, he waited for his beloved. The black dragoness sighed deeply after several minutes.

"You know, I've come here only because I wanted to leave this all behind. You, Sable, Viola, all my friends. I don't want to be a burden to all of you. I…" Vixen cried bitterly. "I don't want to cause any more tears, any more bloodshed. If I left, it would be so much easier to you all and..."

"Don't even think like that." Zheek interrupted her. "We all are burdens for others to carry. But that's… But this is beautiful, this is the sense of life. We all carry each other, helping in time of need. That's why we all need each other. That's why we won't leave you and you can't leave us. Because the less burden we carry, the weaker we are." The fire breather glared deeply into his eyes. Vixen lowered her sight and put her head on lover's chest. She let his protective arms surround him in protectiveness.

"Be always with me." The black dragoness whispered imploringly.

"I will." Zheek promised. The world outside was great and dangerous, but he would never ever let anything bad happen to her. No more.

The dragons left Celeste Tribu that day despite the rain. It had already started weakening and they had spent far too much time in the wyvern city already. It was the high time to return. At first, they headed to the east, where Crag's body was buried. They all dug it out; the magical shield was still covering it so time made no harm to it. The earth dragon looked almost as if he was sleeping, only not counting all the wounds covering his body. Soon, they reached the shores of Great Lake. From there they headed to Crag's home village. It was just a few minutes away when Ivory suddenly turned pale, if that was even possible, and would collapse if Cynder didn't catch her.

"Are you alright?" The black dragoness watched her, concerned. Ivory nodded quickly. Her limbs were shaking.

"I'm… fine." She assured and stood up again. She could feel powerful magical presence somewhere near her. She had never felt such a thing. It was so much stronger that Ivory couldn't even measure it. She barely managed to release her own aura to free herself from foreign influence and stop her legs shaking in overwhelming fear. "Who could that be? That has to be some great magician living in there. Dear ancestors, why hasn't Crag told me about…" And then, at the road before them, the dragons saw a little hatchling. It was a white dragoness not more than five years old. She had three long, green lines going across her body in a beautiful, wavy way, starting at her left paw and reaching her torso, two of them reaching the chest and the other one stopping at her back, all of them branching beautifully and spinning, as if someone had painted those. But what surprised them at the most was that she had only one, right wing. She watched carefully all the travelers. Unable to believe it, Ivory realized that she was the source of that magic.

"Kid, what are you doing here?" Ivory asked. But the hatchling ignored her completely, her eyes were locked on something else.

"Dad?" She asked, her voice was shaking gently. She ran between the group of dragons and stopped before Crag's body. She held his paw. "Daddy." She whispered. Ivory understood everything. So it was Crag's daughter, Idris. And also, she was the dragoness that Crona had spoken of. Her next realm. A one-winged dragoness; the star that can't reach the sky. Idris watched her father carefully. She already knew. The tears started flowing down her cheeks.

Beloved daddy!

It took me very long to start his letter. I was full of uncertainty and doubts how to even start. But once I sat down and started… I want to say that your little black dragoness has grown quite older by body, but much older by mind in those last years. I'm in love with a fire breather, Zheek. He's an adorable type, a little scatter-brained and maybe not really clever, but I know that he's the one. I feel it with whole myself.

The last weeks were…terrifying. I failed Sable and the others, but I finally decided to take the full responsibility for it. It's only Sable thanks to whom I'm still alive. And I finally told him my true name! Now he knows that I'm his sister! But still, I couldn't protect everyone. The dragon, who gave me a reason to return to Sable after Your death is gone now. His name was Crag, a medic, but... definitely a warrior type: strong, brave, stubborn and really good-hearted.

Crag's funeral took place at the afternoon in his home village. The weather was beautiful: not even a single cloud could be seen, the azure sky above our heads. The sun shone intensively, but gentle breeze coming from the Great Lake brought a relieving chill; it was far too beautiful weather as for a funeral. After Oscuro's one, it has been already the second funeral that I have participated lastly. But it was completely different, opposite, I could even say. There was nothing astonishing or spectacular in it; no great, overfilled with the mourning ones procession, no sorrowful anthems echoing through the air, no crowds of thousands spectators. But even despite its ceremonialism I not really liked it. It felt so...dishonest, I think. The wyverns watching Oscuro's funeral came there mostly out of curiosity or duty as nobility. Of course there were some truly wanting to mourn, but it felt like just a drip of water in the whole sea. And Crag was bided farewell by "only" two hundred dragons from his home village. They all really mourned. Everyone in there knew him or his family. All the tears were absolutely honest, especially Idris's. That is Crag's little daughter. She's an orphan now. Mostly because of me. But she forgave me just like that. I wanted to say something, but that little dragoness only smiled and gave me such a sight, as if she could read my thoughts or at least perfectly understood me. We met each other in half of the ceremony. After that Lisanna's (Crag's deceased mate) father decided to speak. His speech was short, terse, but it really touched my heart. That was the moment when I asked if I could say something as well. I stood before all the dragons, introduced myself (I didn't fear to tell them your name as my father's at all) and explained my relationship with Crag. And then I sung an improvised anthem. I hadn't planned anything, but only followed the voice of my heart, as if some celestial being descended on me and brought me inspiration When I finished everyone's sight focused on me in silence. It was… admiration. I blushed intensively and returned back to my brother. He didn't say anything, but just patted my head; more than any words could express.

I'm still wondering why Crag had influenced me so much. Even Sable couldn't stop me from leaving Warfang and he was the one that easily convinced me to return there. I guess it's because of fact that he was just like you, not only by appearance, but also character and past. When I met him, he was just like you; deeply in heart so noble, but wounded by past, full of hatred and will to avenge. But I shown him the way and so, he shown me a way for me. It was like blind leading blind. He proved me that loneliness isn't a solution and I taught him that he shouldn't slain the wolves in act of personal vengeance, but only because they were a real threat to innocent dragons. And so we gave each other a promise to meet in Warfang. We both did, even though it took me longer than I thought but it's so long story that I'll write it in my next letter.

I hope that you're watching me from above, sometimes proudly, sometimes really wanting to scold me for my blindness and stupidity. I miss you, daddy. I wish I had managed to turn you from the path you had chosen.

Your little Vixen

It was already long after the sunset when Vixen, sitting before a lamp with not really strong, red firelight was signing her letter. She yawned deeply, as she put her feather next to an inkwell. It took her quite long to finish it, but she was really satisfied watching it. The black dragoness studied it once more very focused, so she didn't even notice the dragon behind her.

„Are you writing to your father?" Zheek asked surprised. Vixen turned around to see her boyfriend taking a butcher's above her shoulders.

„Has anyone told you how impolite it is to read someone else's letters?" She asked indignant.

„I have no experience with letters at all, so no, no one has." Zheek explained smiling disarmingly. Vixen couldn't help it, but giggled silently.

„You're impossible." She whispered.

„And you're still not in bed. It's already middle of night." Zheek nuzzled his beloved's cheek gently.

„Yes, yes, I'm already going." Vixen promised. She watched the view from the balcony which she was sitting at. Far away, there could be seen the Great Lake reflecting light of thousands stars hanging on the cloudless sky.

„Take your time." Zheek suggested as he sat by his girlfriend. They hugged each other lovingly.

„How about we just stay here?" The black dragoness asked hopefully and she yawned deeply showing two rows of her little dagger-like teeth. The fire breather covered her jaws with a paw.

„Has anyone told you impolite it is to yawn like this?" He asked. Vixen gave him a skeptical sight.

„Has anyone told you that you're impossible?" She wondered.

„You, just five minutes ago." Zheek nuzzled his girlfriend before she said anything more. The black dragoness giggled. She laid her head on his chest feeling his heart beating and chest rising and falling. That was all that she needed in that very moment.

„Goodnight, sweetheart." She whispered.

„Goodnight." Zheek closed his eyes, his wings spread protectively around the little dragoness.

This same evening Ivory spent in Idris's house. The white dragoness was sitting before hatchling's grandparents with little Idris sleeping on some pillow before her grandfather. She really wanted to be present at that conversation, but it was already very late so she quickly fell asleep. Nala and Ignifier, Lisanna's parents, were watching the medic carefully.

"You really look familiar to our daughter." Ignifier said interrupting the silence. Ivory had asked them to talk about something, but she hadn't revealed the issue yet.

"I'm her mother relative. Not a close one, but still, a relative." The medic explained herself. "I wanted to talk about Idris."

"Is something wrong with her?" Ignifier asked with worries.

"No, there's not. At least I hope so. Could you tell me more about her? I mean her past, unusual behavior or situations, illnesses, if she had any problems with her element." Ivory pleased.

"She has no element." Ignifier noticed. Ivory watched him with disbelief.

"How is that possible?"She asked. Two dragons just shrugged.

"We hoped you'd explain us. She has absolutely no talent to any element." Nala, the ice dragoness said.

"Crona." Ivory whispered to herself. So Idris's element and wing were a price for her skills; wing and element. "And what about her magic?" Her eyes stopped on the hatchling. Even when she was sleeping Ivory could feel her overwhelming aura.

"She was born with very soft, not developed lungs. For first two years we kept healing her with elixirs hoping for them to develop enough." Ignifier said, as he caressed his granddaughter.

"Why didn't you use magic?" Ivory asked.

"She has extraneous magic sensitivity syndrome." The fire breather said. The white dragoness how it worked; a person with such a syndrome couldn't be healed by any magic, but her own. She recalled that Vixen temporarily had it after being wounded by Lanzador. "And I know the alchemy very well." Ignifier added.

"I don't doubt that." Ivory assured watching the shelves filed with tomes about alchemy.

"Anyway, when Idris was about two and half, her lungs stopped bleeding, Chris, our medic said that she had some magical potential which slowly started healing her. Since then, she's very healthy."

"Has she ever met a typical sensor that would estimate her potential?" Ivory watched two old dragons carefully, but they shook their heads.

"No, we've planned sending her to a dragon city in the next year." Nala explained. "Could you tell us how big it is?" She pleased.

"I was unprepared for facing a person with such a potential so it felt overwhelming to me at first, but now that I'm used to it and protect myself from her involuntary aura, I still have to admit that her magic is terrifyingly great. I'll have to teach her muffling it or it may be dangerous to the environment." Ivory decided.

"Will you teach her?" Ignifier asked hopefully.

"Yes, I will or at least I plan so. And here I'm coming to my main point." Ivory took a deep breath. "I want to take Idris to Warfang and rise her there." She explained and watched surprise and disbelief on two old dragons' faces.

"B…but why? I can't just…" Nala stuttered.

"I understand." Ivory smiled gently. She wasn't surprised with that reaction. "There are two reasons. Firstly, she has a great amount of magic within herself and..." Ivory's eyes locked on Idris who had rapidly spent some of her magic, even though Ivory didn't notice any difference around her . "And I don't even know how she uses it. And secondly, the most importantly to me, I've promised it to Crag." Ivory explained.

"You've promised, you say." Ignifier repeated slowly watching the white dragoness skeptically. He never really liked Crag. The medic just nodded slightly.

"Do you have any children or at least mate?" Nala asked. She wouldn't trust her granddaughter just anyone.

"I had had a mate, but he was killed by Venganza six years ago. But I have a son." Ivory explained.

"With this same male?" The old dragoness asked suspiciously.

"Of course!" The medic almost shouted, offended with such a suggestion. Idris moved nervously a little disturbed by Ivory's sudden outburst, but she didn't wake up. "Flush, my son, is equal to Idris."

"How would her life in there look like?"Ignifier asked.

"As if she lived with her aunt in Warfang. She'll have her own room, attend to the academy, learn some magic with me, visit their grandparents in their little home village, nothing extraordinary." Ivory explained. "Can I know your opinion then?" Both grandparents looked at each other and started arguing silently. Ivory waited patiently for them to argue. It couldn't be an easy choice, if someone asked her for such a thing, it would take her long time to decide.

"You will explain everything to Idris and we'll have decided by then. Is that fine?" Ignifier suggested. Ivory nodded slightly.

"I know it must be a hard choice for you, but know that Idris is a volcano of magical energy now. Sooner or later somebody will have to temper her or a tragedy may happen." Ivory warned them.

It was a hot midday, even as for the middle of summer, when Ivory and Idris sat in the shadow of some tree to hide from the heat. That was one of those days when both of them loved their purely white scales. Some villagers were watching the two of them curiously. They looked almost like a mother and daughter.

"So, my name is Ivory." The white dragoness introduced herself.

"I'm Idris." The hatchling said. There could be felt a sudden decrease of hers magic after which, like always, it started increasing slowly. "You are my father's friend, aren't you?" She asked. Ivory nodded slightly.

"And your mother's relative." She added, a little surprised. She was sure that she hadn't told Idris about that. The hatchling's grandparents must have talked with her. "I want to take you to Warfang." Ivory explained.

"To teach me using my magic?" Idris guessed hopefully. She perfectly realized that her talent was magic. Her grandparents must have told her that or she subconsciously realized that. Ivory would love to know which version was true.

"That's one of reasons. I've promised your father that I would take care of you." Ivory explained tersely.

"So I'll live with you, Mrs. Ivory, right?" The hatchling said. Now she sounded as if she was the explaining one, not Ivory. Dear ancestors, had Ignifier told her everything or maybe she hadn't been sleeping at all back then? No, Ignifier couldn't have told her that, she had just woken up…

"Yes, but only if you agree to go with me to Warfang and your grandparents say yes as well. And you can call me aunt, I and your mother are relatives." The medic suggested.

"Will I have my own room, aunt?" Idris asked curiously.

"Yes, you will." Ivory nodded quickly. "I have one free room. Well, at this moment there's a terrible mess so you'll have to live with Flush in this same room for a week or two." She assured.

"Flush? Who is that?" Idris jerked her little head curiously.

"That's my son. He's equal to you, I'm sure you'll like each other." The medic smiled slightly.

"Is there an academy in Warfang?" The hatchling obviously had lots of questions.

"There is, a quite big one, as for me. In next year there will even be started a medical academy for teenagers wanting to specialize in medicine. There will be quite many dragons, but..." Ivory interrupted in half of sentence as she felt another sudden decrease of hatchling's magic.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Idris smiled slightly. Now Ivory was sure that she was doing something with magic absolutely unwillingly. "What magic will you teach me?" She asked, really curious about that.

"At first, I'll teach you how to muffle your magic."

"Muffle?" Idris sighed with disappointment.

"It's necessary, but don't worry, I'll teach you even before we reach Warfang. Right now you just emit a big amount of your magic not controlling it at all. You can be easily sensed by every amateur sensor such as me. I muffle my potential, don't let it escape my body. Do you see my eyes?" Ivory asked and the hatchling glared into her azure eyes, gently glowing. "This happens if I don't muffle it." Suddenly, medics eyes started shining intensively. The youngster felt Ivory's healing magic, very warm and friendly, surrounding her. And then, it all disappeared at once.

"If you can't muffle your magic, it's impossible to focus it. The most of magicians learn it by themselves, you'd most likely discover it sooner or later, but I'll teach you this to save time." Ivory explained. The hatchling nodded quickly with understanding.

"So, if you want to go with me, you'll live in Warfang, I can't say how frequently you'll be meeting your grandparents. It won't be something very particular expect for that at first you may feel quite shocked with the greatness of that city. I can't teach you my tricks with magic; I can only show you the path, you'll have to walk it for yourself. It will be challenging, but the results may be beyond your imagination. I won't make any pressure on you; you'll come with me only if you want so. What do you think?" Ivory watched her carefully. She gave the hatchling the free choice, which was very risky; Idris's magic had to be controlled sooner or later. Otherwise, there could happen terrible things with such a talented wizard being completely uncontrolled. Or manipulated by someone improper. Idris watched her relative carefully. Her magic suddenly decreased, as she was thinking intensively.

"Don't worry, aunt." She smiled slightly. "It's very important to you. You've promised it to my daddy. I'll go with you." The hatchling decided. Ivory sighed stealthily with relief.

"So, let's go to your grandparents and talk with them." The medic suggested, as she stood up. The hatchling nodded enthusiastically and ran forward.

"Come on, aunt!" She called Ivory who smiled watching that cheerful child. But in the bottom of her heart, she was scared a little. She had to discover how Idris was spending her magic the fastest she could. But she had practically no clue how to even start.

Dear brother!

I am so sorry for writing to you this late, Sable, but I really couldn't really help it. There was so much happening, so many things still left to do... When I'm writing this very sentence, since our company's leaving Warfang there passed already two months. Teria looks really beautiful, I've never before been to there. Our departing happened so suddenly and quickly, just three days after returning to Warfang. But that's how life works, you never know what may happen tomorrow, right?

Anyway, as promised, I want to explain you how our team has been gathered, as you've completely missed this moment, as I recall. It all started with Ivory. She decided to take Flush and Idris to Teria. There were several reasons: to visit her mother, see her mate's grave and learn something more about their magic in Teria's library. Ivory explained me everything about Crona, her and Idris's magic. She doesn't mean to tell it just everyone, but she knew how important Crag was to me and how much I like Idris. Anyway, the ones who Ivory was interested about were Crona and Certo. When I heard that, I recalled that Certo was Cynder's ancestor so I went to her and mentioned her about it. She and Spyro (with Zealous, of course) decided to go with them and so, I joined them as well. With me there went Zheek, of course, and Farady. And so, we all headed to Teria. There are very many tomes about genealogy, did you know that? I spent quite long studying our ancestors and helping Ivory and Cynder. Dates with Zheek filled the rest of my free time.

Farady has a crush on some earth dragon, his name was Devlin. He's an adorable type and he had just broken up with his girlfriend when he fell on Farady. If only you see them you know that this must be love. I've never before have seen her more happy than when she prepares for a date with him. She thinks she'll stay in Teria with him. That's really good choice for her, after all it's the only dragon city she knows at least a little and that's where her parents are buried. Ivory keeps training magic hard with Flush and Idris and they even attend to the Academy in there. Cynder and Spyro keep analyzing the tomes of genealogy, Cynder is already close of finding Certo and her ancestors. What about me, you could ask? I and Zheek help here and there. Being with him all the time, I feel as if I had butterflies in my stomach! It's just so... unbelievable! I feel so free! And besides, there's something you need to know: s I am /s s I'm/s I am pregnant! You have no idea how joyous I am right now! After so many years of being just a tool of destruction, I will finally be able to give life. I've never even thought that it could be possible. After all I used to be a wyverness and as a female, the changes in my body were much more advanced than yours and my hormones are pretty messed up. But Ivory assures that there's nothing to worry about. Even if my body may be very little, she'll do everything for that I could give a birth. I only worry if I'll be a good mother. I still can't see myself in this role, you know, I'm so childish. But everyone around promised to help me and I know you and Viola'll support me as well, so I fear only a little. Oh, I'm so excited! I feel like never before, there are no words that could express it!

So now, we plan our return to be soon. Well, at least I do. You know, a dragoness in advanced pregnancy shouldn't be travelling too much. Speaking of which, apologize Tris for that I can't come for her child's hatching; if not for that I was in here, I wouldn't miss it for sure. I really wish I could be there, but you can't have everything, can you?

Sable, I know that it may sound idiotic, but for the first time since we, as wyverns, escaped Celeste Tribu I feel... safe. No need to worry about surviving the next day, no threats to me, my family and friends, no secrets that I'd have to hide. I believe that's what we call happiness, isn't it, brother?

Vixen

P.S. Zheek wishes you, Viola, Arriate and Ñeque all the best.

Sable and Viola were sitting in their dining room with their children playing around outside when they read their letter from Vixen. The azure dragoness smiled slightly as she finished it faster and watched her mate's changing expression. He looked shocked.

"Vixen is pregnant?" He said silently. Viola poked his shoulder.

"Aren't you happy?" She asked with disbelief.

"I am, but..." Sable interrupted in half of the sentence. It didn't look like he'd finish it.

"But?" Viola asked curiously.

"Don't you think she's too young for pregnancy?" The lightning dragon argued. After several seconds of silence, she sighed deeply. The older brother-younger sister syndrome worked pretty well.

"Sable, she's already twenty." Viola said slowly.

"She's just..." Sable tried to argue.

"Already." The ice dragoness emphasized. "It's natural for a dragoness her age to be pregnant. Just look at Tris." She noticed.

"It's not this same!" The medic argued stubbornly.

"I know that she's your little sister and you want to look after her for all the time, but remember that pregnancy isn't a burden to her. In fact, it's one of those few moments in her life this far when she felt really happy. A child is a great gift. You should know this best." Viola said. Sable glared deeply into her eyes. "Am I wrong?" The lightning dragoness asked doubtfully.

"No, you're not." The lightning dragon agreed. He kissed his beloved. "My little sister has already grown up, hasn't she?" He said silently. Viola giggled and nuzzled her mate.

"Welcome to the reality." She whispered. "How about we go out somewhere?" She suggested with pleasing voice. Sable smiled slightly.

"With pleasure, sweetheart." He agreed. And then, they heard knocking at the door. The dragon sighed deeply and walked to the entrance. There, he saw the very last person he'd expect to meet.

"Leal." He said with disbelief watching the wyverness. On her back she was wearing both halves of Lanzador. The female smiled flirtatiously.

"Greetings, Sable." She said silently. The lightning dragon wanted to say something, but his mate was faster.

"What is she doing in here?" Viola hissed hatefully. She made a fighting stance immediately, giving her hateful sight. She wouldn't accept such a hostile person in her own house.

"Oh, calm down, Viola." Leal pleased. "I don't want to talk with you, but Sable."

"You didn't answer my question." The azure dragoness noticed angrily.

"As the official sovereign of Celeste Tribu I'm here to negotiate the terms of alliance between dragons and wyverns." The wyverness explained.

"This early?" Viola asked doubtfully. She knew that Leal wasn't really liked by wyvern nobility; she risked everything she had by such a choice.

"I fear not about my position in Celeste. My father, Count Logain, makes sure everything will be under our control. And speaking of dragons, we should forget about this incident that has happened and think about goodness of both our races, shouldn't we?" Leal noticed. "Could we take a walk, Sable?" She pleased. Sable sighed deeply.

"I'll be right back." He promised, agreeing only in order to separate those two females as fast as possible. The dragon and wyverness headed some road in silence. The queen kept looking around, watching the great buildings of Warfang.

"It's been a while since our last careless walk like that, hasn't it?" The wyverness noticed smiling blissfully.

"Whole sixteen years." Sable agreed. "Everything changed since then." Leal nodded. "Between us too." The dragon added and his companion sighed deeply. They walked in silence for a moment. "So, you've already talked with the guardians, haven't you?" He guessed.

"I have. It is the main priority of mine to ally with dragons." Leal confirmed.

"How are negotiations going?" Sable asked curiously.

"Harder than I'd expect, but it isn't bad. I gave guardians Oscuro's sword as the symbol of my good will. They accepted it." The wyverness said. Sable watched her carefully. The queen couldn't give a royal blade just to anyone and the meaning of such a gesture couldn't be ignored; it could determine Leal's policy for even decades. And in this same moment, she deprived Oscuro's daughter of sword that could be a key element for her to achieve the throne. Sable had to admit that it was a very clever choice.

"So the alliance shall be signed soon." He guessed. Leal nodded slightly.

"The treaty negotiated by your team survived whole this mess, somewhere deep amongst Verdad's documents. Dragon guardians want only to study it and improve a little because of the last incident." The queen confirmed. "No wonder that you decided to stay in Warfang." She changed a subject of their conversation. "It's a beautiful city."

"It is." Sable sighed deeply. "You wanted to talk about some much more serious issue, didn't you? You wouldn't come to me just to praise about your success." He noticed. Leal nodded quickly. "It's a funny thing, because I wanted as well. Could I be first?" He pleased. The wyverness shrugged.

"If you wish so." She agreed.

"Have you ever heard Vixen singing?" The lightning dragon asked. Leal watched him with surprise.

"No. I thought we'd be talking about a serious issue." She noticed.

"You should sometimes. Her songs have particular tendency to it the point when you expect it at the least." Sable continued, ignoring her comment. "Who holds the riches, the jester or the king?" He sung silently. "Was it you or Verdad responsible for whole this happening in Celeste?" The lightning dragon wondered. Leal's heart skipped a beat as she watched her companion carefully. He couldn't know. He simply couldn't know the truth. But she knew he did.

"I'm..." She stuttered a little. "I'm afraid I don't know what you imply."

"And I'm afraid you do know." Sable emphasized "do" watching her angrily. "I thought through all that I've heard in previous months. From the very beginning Verdad was just a tool in your paws, wasn't he? There was a fire in a section of library which you had been visiting frequently for several months before this incident. The only recipe of a cure is lost. Because of the political situation you couldn't ask for it other kingdoms; you didn't want to show your weakness, because you could be crushed. So there was no other option than me. You promised Verdad that I'd die in the end. When we were attacked, Syrius came and helped me. I guess you convinced him, right?" Sable watched the wyverness carefully. She bobbed her head once. "You helped me, but tried to kill all my friends by sending Clavius after them. If not Farady and Zheek, you'd succeed. And then, you decided about assassination of my children. Cobro claimed it was his idea, but let's be honest, you had him wrapped around your finger too. Because of that, you gave me no choice, but to kill Verdad. And that's what you counted on, wasn't it?" The two of them slowed down a little. Leal watched Sable carefully, unsure what to say.

"Why do you believe so?" She asked skeptically.

"Because I know you." The lightning dragon explained. "If I managed to kill Verdad and you killed my companions, especially Viola, and even assassinated my children, you could not only become the queen. You could take me, crushed after such a loss, for once more missing a point in my life, as the king. You'd trick Verdad into killing everyone important to me and make me avenge them for that you could officially rule Celeste." Sable smiled bitterly. "A risky plan, but the results would be just amazing, wouldn't they?" He noticed watching her hatefully. Leal lowered her head, they walked in silence for a minute or two. She didn't even try to refuse. And then, she burst out.

"Sable, didn't you ever wish to return your home?! This is not your place!" A tear appeared in her eye. "You were born as a wyvern, as a prince, as the rightful heir to the throne! Not as some meaningless, common medic. Sable, you have such a potential! You and me could unite and rule all the wyverns! We could even conquer the world, dragons, wyverns, wolves, all the nations! There would be no strength that could stop us. Sable, return with me to your home." She said desperately.

"I appreciate." Sable said silently. His orange irises focused on the wyverness. "Your love, stubbornness and determination." His voice sounded ominous, threatening. "But I will never forgive you a try to destroy whole the happiness of my life in act of your own selfishness. Find yourself a mate, establish your position, conquer the wyverns. I don't care, I could even bid you good luck. But don't you dare to touch dragons. Not just me, my family or friends. If you ever lay a finger on a simple innocent dragon, I'll personally kill you." The two of them turned in another street and Leal realized that they were heading back to Sable's house. It was just fifty meters before them. "And speaking of returning to my home..." Sable smiled slightly, watching his family. Ñeque was standing on a branch of some tree holding his sister's paw and lifting her. She could just fly on it, but climbing was greater fun after all. She had little problems since her left arm still was broken, the chest covered in bandages hiding her left eye as well. The lightning dragoness was about to climb up, but Viola was already running to them to admonish kids for such recklessness in Arriate's state. Sable sighed blissfully. He left Leal behind, walked to his mate and kissed her cheek. The hatchlings hugged their parents cheerfully, knowing that then they had a chance to avoid being reprimanded. And Leal watched whole this scene astonished with Sable's words echoing through her mind.

"This is my home."


End file.
